Film image input system for outputting an image signal to a video monitor

ABSTRACT

A film image input system is disclosed which can use a film cartridge constructed in such a manner that it requires a small space for storing a developed still photo film and also can protect the film against dust and damage, and also which allows the film cartridge to be mounted into a cartridge mounting part very simply and positively. The film image input system  1  is arranged such that it reproduces the image of the developed still photo film  2  on a video monitor  18.  The system uses a film cartridge  6  which comprises a cartridge main body having an outlet opening  7  for sending out the film  2  in the longitudinal direction thereof, a single spool which fixes one end of the film  2  in the longitudinal direction thereof and round which the whole length of the film  2  can be wound, and support means for supporting the spool in such a manner that it can be rotated in both directions. The film image input system includes film supply means  13  which is engageable with the spool of the film cartridge  6  to rotationally drive the spool in a direction to send out the film  2  from the cartridge main body and in a direction to rewind the film back into the cartridge main body. Due to this, the film image can be reproduced by one touch on the video monitor  18.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/093,140 filed Jul. 19,1993 abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a film image input system and, inparticular, to a film image input system which picks up the image of along roll of developed film for a still camera by use of image pickupmeans, converts the image into a image signal, and outputs the imagesignal to a video monitor to thereby reproduce the film image on thevideo monitor.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a film image input system which is adapted to reproducethe image of a roll of developed film for a still camera on a videomonitor is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,924, U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,406,U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,300, WO90/04301 and the like.

For example, as shown in FIG. 61, a conventional film image input system36 includes a film feed system comprising a supply reel 38 for feeding along roll of developed film 37 for a still camera and a take-up reel 40,an image pickup optical system 41 comprising an illumination unit 41Aand a taking lens 41B, an image sensor 48A formed of a CCD, and an imagesignal process circuit 48B.

The above-mentioned film 37 is fed frame by frame between theillumination unit 41A and taking lens 41B. The image of the film 37 isilluminated by an illuminating light from the illumination unit 41A, andthe illuminated image is picked up by the taking lens 41B and is thenformed on the image sensor 48A. By means of this, the image on the film37 is converted by the image sensor 48A into an image signal and is thensignal processed by the image signal process circuit 48B. After then,the signal is output to the video monitor 49 as a video signal and isdisplayed on the video monitor 49. Also, some of this type ofconventional film image input systems include a zoom mechanism, a filmscan mechanism (X-Y moving mechanism), an image sensor rotatingmechanism and other mechanisms.

However, according to the above-mentioned film image input system, dueto the fact that, after the developed photo film 37 is directly rolledround the supply reel 38 and take-up reel 40 within the system, the filmis fed, it is complicated to handle the photo film 37 and also there isa danger that the film 37 may be damaged or stained.

For example, as shown in FIG. 61, when using the supply reel 38 roundwhich the photo film 37 is wound, the supply reel 38 is loaded in a filmloading part 39, and with one end of the outer-most roll of the filmbeing extended manually, the film 37 is inserted through the imagepickup system 41 and is wound round the take-up reel 40, and the imagesurface of the film 37 is set to the focal surface of the image pickupoptical system 41, which completes preparation for reproduction. Also,when taking out the film after the reproduction of the whole picture iscompleted, with one end of the outer-most roll of the film wound thetake-up reel 40 being extended manually, the film is wound round thesupply reel 38, and a switch for rewinding is depressed to therebyrewind the film. And, after completion of the rewinding of the wholefilm, a stop button is pressed down to take out the supply reel 38 fromthe loading part 39. The above-mentioned conventional film image inputsystem requires the troublesome operations mentioned above.

Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Tokkai) No. 1-289948,there is disclosed a film image input system using a film cartridge.However, this publication teaches no description of a film cartridgehaving a single spool and of an interface to the film image inputsystem. For example, as shown in FIG. 62, when using a film cartridge 46in which one end of a photo film 43 is fixed to a supply spool 44, theother end is fixed to a take-up spool 45, and these two spools 44 and 45are spaced at a given distance from each other and are supportedrotatably, the following problems arise:

That is, due to the fact that the design of a film image input system 42is limited because the distance between the two spools 44 and 45 of thefilm cartridge 46 and also that the film cartridge 46 is constructed insuch a manner to stretch over the image pickup optical system and thusthe film image input system 42 must be larger in size in order toguarantee its loadability, a great space is necessary for storing thefilm image input system 42. Also, since the film surface is exposed byat least 1 frame on the front and rear sides thereof, there is apossibility that dust may enter from the exposed film surface. Further,the film cartridge 46 includes a picture frame 47 which makes itimpossible to design freely a mechanism to coincide the focal surface ofthe image pickup optical system with the image surface of the film.

Also, in the case where the above-mentioned film has a magneticrecording layer, the arrangement of a recording/reproducing magnetichead with respect to the magnetic recording layer is limited by theshape of the film cartridge.

Further, the film is formed of acetate or polyester base material with aphotosensitive emulsion coated thereon. For this reason, when comparedwith a magnetic tape such as an audio tape, a video tape and the like,the film is wider, easier to curl and has a greater rigidity, whichgives rise to the following problems:

In other words, as shown in FIG. 63, the film (especially, the developedfilm) is heavily curled (see FIG. 63(A)) and, if such curled film is tobe stretched, it will be curved in the width direction thereof, as shownin FIG. 63(B). Also, when one end of the film is wound automaticallyround the take-up reel, the leading end of the heavily curled film getsinto the opposite side of the take-up reel to the winding side thereof,which makes it impossible for the film to be taken up. Further, sincethe great rigidity of the film provides a great restoring force for thefilm that has been taken up, the film is easy to flex or come loose inwinding. Moreover, since the film has a broad width but has a limitednumber of frames, the film has a relatively small winding diameter, withthe result that the film cartridge is different in shape from a tapecassette. For this reason, when loading the film cartridge into thecartridge loading part, there is required a cartridge loading mechanismwhich is different from a tape cassette loading mechanism.

Further, in order that the film image input system can always reproducethe film image in an excellent manner, it is necessary to take measuresto prevent damage of the film and to correct the fading of the filmimage.

A film includes negative and positive films and, therefore, it isnecessary to check whether a film is a negative film or a positive film.It is troublesome that, after whether the film is positive or negativeis confirmed visually, the image signal processings in the film imageinput system are manually switched according to the kinds of the film.Also, it may happen that nothing is taken when the film image inputsystem is started. In this case, it cannot be decided whether this isbecause the film is not set or because a frame in which nothing is takenis picked up.

When the winding and rewinding of the film is performed by use of asingle reel motor, it is considered that a driving force is transmittedfrom the reel motor through a swing gear mechanism to a supply reel orto a take-up reel. However, the swing gear mechanism swings its headportion according to the directions of rotation of the reel motor andtransmits the driving force to the supply or take-up reel only in thefilm winding direction thereof and, therefore, in the film loading (thatis, when the film is sent out from the film cartridge), it is notpossible to drive the supply reel in the film sending direction by useof the swing gear mechanism.

Also, when the film and image pickup means are moved relatively to eachother to execute the X-direction and Y-direction scans of the filmimage, it is considered that the X-direction scan is carried out bysending the film. In this case, a speed ratio between the frame sendingspeed and the X-direction scan speed requires on the order of 20 timesbut this speed ratio cannot be realized only by changing the speed ofrotation of the reel motor, with the result that the film frame sendingand the X-direction scan cannot be executed by the single reel motor.Also, when executing the frame sending, a notch and the like indicatingthe position of the frame can be provided in every film frame and thusthe film frames can be sent one by one accurately by detecting suchnotch and the like by use of a frame detector. However, as describedabove, if the X-direction scan is carried out by sending the film, thenthe same notch may be detected again in the next frame sending, as thescan position prior to the frame sending may be. That is, in this case,the same frame will be reproduced again.

In addition, in the case where the film has a magnetic recording layerand trimming information and the like are magnetically recorded into andreproduced from the magnetic recording layer in the frame sending, theframe sending speed must be maintained constant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in theabove-mentioned conventional film image input systems.

It is an object of the invention to provide a compact and low-cost filmimage input system which can use a film cartridge having a small spacefor storing a roll of developed film for a still camera and free fromdust and damage, can load the film cartridge into a cartridge loadingpart very simply and positively, and allows free design of the sizes andpositions of various mechanisms.

It is another object of the invention to provide a film image inputsystem which, when a magnetic recording film is used, is capable ofmagnetically recording and reproducing a film very quickly in feedingthe frames of the film, and also capable of maintaining a film feedingspeed constant to realize an excellent magnetic recording andreproducing operation in a simple structure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a film image inputsystem which can flatten a developed, heavily curled still photo filmfed to an image pickup area by film feed means, can surely guide theleading end of the film to the winding side of a taking-up shaft whenthe film is fed out from a film cartridge, can prevent striped damagewhich could occur on a developed still photo film during the feeding ofthe film, and can prevent flexing of the surface of the film orloosening of the winding of a reel when the film is fed or stopped.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a film imageinput system which can perform a film feeding operation including a highspeed film feeding such as the film frame feeding, quick feeding and thelike and a low speed film feeding such as a scan feeding with a singlereel motor by use of a swing gear mechanism, can rotate a supply reel inthe reverse direction as well, can send out a film from a filmcartridge, and can surely perform a frame feeding operation to the nextframe irrespective of the current scan position by means of scanfeeding.

In order to achieve the above objects, according to the invention, thereis provided a film image input system adapted to reproduce on a videomonitor the image of a long and narrow roll of developed film for astill camera, the film image input system using: a film cartridgeincluding a cartridge main body for storing the above film and having anoutlet opening for feeding out the film in the longitudinal directionthereof, a single spool for fixing one end of the film in thelongitudinal direction thereof to wind the whole length of the filmround the fixed end, and support means for supporting the spool in sucha manner that the spool can be rotated in both directions; and, the filmimage input system comprising: film supply means engageable with thespool of the film cartridge to rotationally drive the spool in adirection to feed out the film from the cartridge main body as well asin a direction to rewind the film into the cartridge main body. The filmimage input system further comprises a cartridge holder for storing thefilm cartridge, the cartridge holder including holding means for holdingthe film cartridge in such a manner that the film cartridge floats agiven amount in the axial direction of the spool, the cartridge holder,when opened, allowing the film cartridge to be inserted or taken outfrom the axial direction of the spool and, when closed, allowing thespool of the film cartridge to be positioned on a supply reel; holingmeans including a freely rotatable spool holding member and capable ofholding the spool holding member in such a manner that the spool holdingmember can be advanced and retreated with respect to the supply reel;and, drive means for driving the holding means to advance and retreatthe spool holding member with respect to the supply reel, and forcausing the spool holding member to push the film cartridge within thecartridge holder into the supply reel to thereby load the lower endportion of the spool into the head portion of the supply reel as well asto load the spool holing member into the upper end portion of the spool.

Also, the present invention is characterized in that it uses a film onwhich a magnetic recording layer is coated, that magnetic headstouchable with the magnetic recording layer of the film are disposedrespectively on the entrance and exit sides of the image pickup area ofthe film, that the magnetic head disposed on the entrance side reads outthe information on a frame entering the image pickup area from themagnetic recording layer at the upper or lower end of the frame, andthat the magnetic head disposed on the exit side writes information intothe magnetic recording layer at the upper or lower end of a frameleaving the image pickup area. The present invention further includesdetect means for detecting the film winding diameter of a take-up reelor the data that corresponds to the film winding diameter, and controlmeans for finding a motor drive voltage from a table or a calculationexpression which shows the motor drive voltages for the film windingdiameter or the data corresponding to the film winding diameter in orderto maintain a film feeding speed at a previously set, constant speed,and for outputting the motor drive voltage to a reel motor.

Further, the present invention is characterized by film guide membersrespectively disposed on the entrance and exit sides of an image pickuparea to be picked up by image pickup means for guiding a film to be fedby film feed means in such a manner that the film is curved in an Sshape or in a Z shape. The film guide members are respectively guiderollers which are touchable with at least the film image surface of thefilm and are rotatable with the movement of film. The present inventionfurther includes a film storage part surrounding the winding shaft of atake-up reel, and a guide member extending out from the filmentrance/exit opening of the film storage part toward theabove-mentioned winding shaft. The guide member, when the film is fedout from the film cartridge, guides the leading end of the film to thewinding side of the winding shaft and at the same time comes intocontact with the outer-most roll of the film wound round the windingshaft and then retreats. Moreover, the present invention furtherincludes a first reel brake for braking the supply reel, a second reelbrake for braking the take-up reel, and control means for controllingthe first and second reel brakes such that the first and second reelbrakes always brake the supply reel and take-up reel while the film isbeing loaded between the supply and take-up reels.

In addition, the present invention is characterized by: frame detectmeans for detecting a notch, a hole or the like which is formed at eachof frames of a film to thereby detect the frame; film feed means forfeeding the film until the frame detect means detects the next frame tothereby feed the frame, and for feeding the film within a scan rangenarrower than the lateral width of one frame after the frame feeding tothereby execute a scanning operation in the film feeding direction; scanposition detect means for detecting a scan position after the framefeeding with the frame detect position as a reference position; and,control means for enabling the frame detect means to detect the nextframe after a scan position detected by the scan position detect meansin the frame feeding exceeds at least the scan range. Also, the presentinvention further includes: a reel motor which can be rotated reversiblyand of which rotary speed varies according to input voltages; a firstswing or oscillating gear mechanism which can be rotated according tothe direction of rotation of the reel motor to transmit a rotary driveforce to a supply reel or a take-up reel; a second oscillating gearmechanism which can be rotated according to the direction of rotation ofthe reel motor to transmit a rotary drive force to the supply reel orthe take-up reel at a different reduction gear ratio from that of thefirst oscillating gear mechanism; and, control means for controlling therotary range of one of the first and second oscillating gear mechanismto thereby enable the other oscillating gear mechanism to transmit therotary drive force. In addition, the present invention still furtherincludes means which fixes an oscillating gear mechanism unrotatable insuch a manner that a rotary drive force can be transmitted through theoscillating gear to the supply reel and also enables the supply reel tobe driven in a direction where the film is sent out from the filmcartridge.

According to the invention, by using a compact cartridge having a singlespool round which a film is wound, the whole cartridge can be disposednear to one side of a film image input system and, therefore, thefreedom of design relating to the number, size and arrangement ofvarious mechanisms in the central part and the other side of the systemcan be expanded. Also, the film cartridge can be mounted through acartridge holder to a predetermined cartridge mounting part. Thecartridge holder includes holding means for holding the film cartridgein such a manner that the film cartridge is floated a given amount inthe axial direction of the spool, and also the cartridge holder isconstructed such that it can be opened and closed, that is, when it isopened, the film cartridge can be inserted from the axial direction ofthe spool or can be taken out, and when it is closed, the spool of thefilm cartridge can be placed on a reel. The film cartridge with thespool placed on the reel is then loaded into a predetermined position byholding means which includes a rotatable spool holding member and holdsthe spool holding member in such a manner that the spool holding membercan be advanced and retreated with respect to the reel. That is, theholding means is driven to move the spool holding member toward the reeland the spool holding member is used to push in the film cartridgewithin the cartridge holder, so that the lower end side of the spool canbe loaded into the head portion of the spool and the spool holdingmember can be loaded into the upper end side of the spool. Due to this,the cartridge can be mounted to the cartridge mounting part in a verysimple and positive manner.

According to another embodiment of the invention, due to the fact thatmagnetic heads contactable with the the magnetic recording layer of thefilm are disposed on the entrance and outlet sides of a film imagepickup area respectively, the trimming information and the like of theframe entering the image pickup area can be read out from the magneticrecording layer of the frame by the magnetic head disposed on theentrance side in frame feeding, and at the same time the information ofthe frame leaving the image pickup area can be written into the magneticrecording layer of the frame by the magnetic head on the outlet side.This eliminates the need to carry out the forward and reverse feedingsof the film repetitively when the film is recorded into and reproducedfrom the magnetic recording layer, so that the film recording andreproduction can be executed quickly in the frame feeding.

According to still another embodiment of the invention, a film can beguided in a curved manner, that is, in an S-like or Z-like shape by filmguide members respectively disposed on the entrance and outlet sides ofan image pickup area. This allows the film to be stretched or flattenedwithout giving a great tension to the film and thus allows a taking lensto be focused over the whole of one frame. Also, two guide rollers areused as the film guide members, respectively. The guide rollers cancontact with at least the film image surface of the film and can rotateas the film moves. This prevents the film against striped damage whichcould otherwise occur in the film feeding. Further, in feeding the filmfrom the film cartridge, the leading end of the film can be positivelyguided to the winding side of a take-up shaft by use of a guide memberwhich is provided in a manner to extend from a film insertion andremoval opening in a film storage part toward the take-up shaft. Whilethe winding diameter of the film wound round the take-up shaft increasesgradually, the guide member contacts with the outer-most winding or rollof the film wound round the take-up shaft and then retreats. Moreover,while the film is being loaded between a supply reel and a take-up reel,the supply and take-up reels are always to be braked simultaneously.This can give the film a proper tension to thereby prevent the filmsurface from being flexed or the winding of the reel from beingloosened. By applying soft braking to the reel that is driven by reeldrive means as well, there is eliminated the possibility that the filmmay be flexed or the film winding may be loosened even when the reel tobe driven is switched by an oscillating gear mechanism or the like. Inaddition, when the feeding of the film is stopped while the film isbeing loaded between the supply and take-up reels, full braking isapplied to the supply and take-up reels to thereby prevent the filmsurface from flexing or the winding of the reel from loosening duringthe film feeding stop.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the scan positionafter a frame is fed is detected by scan position detect means with aframe detect position as a reference position. And, after the scanposition detected by the scan position detect means in the frame feedingexceeds at least a predetermined scan range, the next frame can bedetected by frame detect means. That is, after the frame feeding isstarted, until the scan position detected by the scan position detectmeans exceeds the above-mentioned scan range, the frame detection by theframe detect means is nullified to thereby eliminate the possibilitythat the frame detect means may detect again a notch or the like formedin the same frame. Also, a rotary drive force is transmitted from asingle motor through first and second oscillating gear mechanisms to asupply reel or to a take-up reel. A gear train to transmit the driveforce through the first oscillating gear mechanism is different in thereduction ratio from a gear train to transmit the drive force throughthe second oscillating gear mechanism. Thus, by selecting either of thefirst and second oscillating gear mechanisms to transmit the drive forcetherethrough, the rotational speed of the supply reel or take-up reelcan be changed. That is, by selectively using either of the first andsecond oscillating gear mechanisms according to cases, the rotationalspeed of the supply or take-up reel can be changed beyond a range ofspeed changeable by a voltage applied to the reel motor. This allows thefilm feeding speed to be changed, for example, on the order of 22 to 23times and, therefore, a wide variety of film feedings ranging from ahigh speed film feeding necessary in feeding the film quickly to a lowspeed feeding necessary in scan feeding the film image can be executedby the single reel motor. There is provided control means forcontrolling the range of rotation of the first and second oscillatinggear mechanisms and only one of the two gear mechanisms can be used totransmit the rotary drive force by the control means. Further, theoscillating gear mechanisms can be rotated respectively according to thedirection of rotation of the reel motor to transmit the rotary driveforce to the supply reel or take-up reel and, therefore, normally thesupply reel or take-up reel can be rotated only in a given direction.However, according to the invention, the oscillating gear mechanisms arefixed unrotatable, so that the supply reel can be rotated in the reversedirection as well and thus the film can be sent out from the filmcartridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exact nature of this invention, as well as other objects, featuresand advantages thereof, will be readily apparent from consideration ofthe following specification relating to the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference characters designate the same or similar partsthroughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a film image inputsystem according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exterior view of the film image input system shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a view of an embodiment of a film cartridge to be applied tothe film image input system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view partly in section of the above filmcartridge;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the film cartridge;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a film image inputsystem according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view of an embodiment of a film cartridge to be applied tothe film image input system shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the outlines of a third embodiment of afilm image input system according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the interior structure of the film imageinput system shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of an embodiment of the shape of a film which isreproduced by a film image input system;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of main portions of a film image input systemincluding an embodiment of frame detect means;

FIG. 12 is a view of another embodiment of the frame detect means;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of main portions of a film image input systemincluding a voice circuit;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of main portions of a modification of thefilm image input system shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of main portions of another modification ofthe film image input system shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a recording system for recording variouskinds of information into a magnetic layer of a film;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a reproducing system for reproducing thevarious kinds of information recorded in the magnesia layer of the film;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of details of a film information recordingand reproducing part shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of details of a film image input systemincluding an exposure adjust circuit and a color tone adjust circuit;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of an embodiment of an operation part of a filmimage input system;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart to explain a method of inputting the reproducinginformation of the display image of each frame using the operation partand an automatic reproducing method using the reproducing information;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart to explain a method of inputting re-printinformation with respect to a suitable frame in the operation part;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the outlines of a fourth embodiment ofa film image input system according to the invention;

FIG. 24 is a plan view of a film guide mechanism employed in the filmimage input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a section view taken along the line 25—25 in FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a section view of main portions of a guide arm used insteadof a guide tongue piece shown in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a plan view of a reel drive mechanism employed in the filmimage input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 28 is a section view taken along the line 28—28 in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is an enlarged view of main portions of FIG. 28, illustrating acam mechanism for controlling the range of rotation of an oscillatorygear mechanism;

FIG. 30 is an enlarged perspective view of a press member shown in FIG.27;

FIG. 31 is a view of a press mechanism instead of the press member shownin FIG. 27;

FIG. 32 is a front view of main portions of a cartridge mountingmechanism employed in the film image input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 33 is a plan view of main portions of the above-mentioned cartridgemounting mechanism;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of interiors of a cartridge holderemployed in the above cartridge mounting mechanism;

FIG. 35 is a front view of main portions of another embodiment of thecartridge mounting mechanism;

FIG. 36 is a section view taken along the line 36—36 in FIG. 33, mainlyillustrating a holder lock mechanism employed in the film image inputsystem shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 37 is a view of a scan position detector used in the film imageinput system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 38 is a view of main portions of a mode select mechanism and a reelbrake employed in the film image input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 39 is a diagrammatic view of a groove cam, illustrating theoperation of the mode select mechanism shown in FIG. 48;

FIG. 40 is a view of a relationship between a frame detector and a film,illustrating frame feed control in the film image input system shown inFIG. 23;

FIG. 41 is a block diagram of a frame feed control device in the filmimage input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 42 is a flow chart to explain the operation of a control part shownin FIG. 41;

FIG. 43 is a flow chart of another embodiment of the frame feed control;

FIG. 44 is a block diagram of a film feed speed control device in thefilm image input system shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 45 is a graphical representation of a relationship between theframe number and reel motor drive voltage;

FIG. 46 is a flow chart to explain the operation of a search mode;

FIG. 47 is a block diagram of main portions of a film image input systemincluding a negative/positive switching control device;

FIG. 48 is a view of details of light projecting means and lightreceiving means respectively shown in FIG. 47;

FIG. 49 is a section view taken along the line 49—49 in FIG. 48;

FIG. 50 is a view of another embodiment of the light projecting andreceiving means respectively shown in FIG. 48;

FIG. 51(A) is a perspective view of a film cartridge having two spools(that is, two shafts);

FIG. 51(B) is a perspective view of a film cartridge having a spool (oneshaft);

FIG. 52(A) is a perspective view of main portions of a film cartridgehaving a notch formed therein;

FIG. 52(B) is a perspective view of main portions of a film cartridgehaving two notches formed therein;

FIG. 53 is a block diagram of a film image input system including apicture output control device to a video monitor;

FIG. 54 is a view of a film edge portion into which a standard patternfor correction of fading is printed;

FIG. 55 is a view of a standard pattern in which one of RGB is printedin 10 gradations;

FIG. 56 is a view of a system for printing the standard pattern forfading correction in a working process from a film roll;

FIG. 57 is a view of details of a print device for printing the standardpattern for fading correction;

FIG. 58 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a film fading correctiondevice in a film image input system;

FIG. 59 is a graphical representation to explain a correction table fora lookup table in FIG. 58;

FIG. 60 is a view of another print area into which the standard patternfor fading correction is printed;

FIG. 61 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a conventional filmimage input system;

FIG. 62 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the conventionalfilm image input system;

FIG. 63(A) is a view of a heavily curled, developed photographic film;and,

FIG. 63(B) is a view of a developed photo film which is curved in theaxial direction because it is enlarged.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Detailed description will hereunder be given of the preferredembodiments of a film image input system according to the presentinvention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

In FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a first embodiment of afilm image input system according to the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, a film 2 (see FIG. 3) used in the film image input system 1 hasa plurality of perforations 3, one for one image. The perforations 3 areformed in such a manner that they correspond to the positions at whichimages are recorded. A perforation exists so as to correspond to atleast a virtual image position 4 right in front of the image of thefirst frame and a perforation exists so as to correspond to at least avirtual image position 5 right in the rear of the image of the finalframe.

Also, a film cartridge 6 used in the film image input system has asingle outlet opening 7 for feeding out the film 2 and a single spool 8,as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The spool 8 fixes one end of the film 2 in thelongitudinal direction thereof and is supported by a main body of thefilm cartridge 6 in such a manner that it is rotatable in bothdirections to feed out and to take up the film 2. Before the film 2 isloaded into the film image input system, the the whole length of thefilm 2 is normally wound round the spool 8 and is stored within the filmcartridge 6.

In order that the film 2 can be fed out smoothly from the interiors ofthe film cartridge 6 by rotating the spool 8 of the film cartridge 6,the film cartridge 6 includes means for preventing the winding of thefilm from loosening. According to an embodiment of the film windingloosening preventive means, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of platesprings 9 are provided in the interiors of the film cartridge 6 tothereby be able to keep the winding diameter of the film to a minimum inany case and, therefore, when the spool 8 is given a rotary force in adirection to feed out the film 2, the rotary force can be transmittedefficiently without waste in the longitudinal direction of the film 2 sothat the leading end of the film 2 can be sent out smoothly from thefilm outlet opening 7 of the film cartridge 6.

According to another feature of the film cartridge 6, the film cartridge6, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a label 10 which is used display thefact that the film 2 stored within the film cartridge 6 is alreadydeveloped and to display the kinds of the film (including the number offrames taken, a negative film or a reversal film, and the like), and amark 11 printed on the label, the mark 11 corresponding to the displayof the label and being detectable optically.

The film image input system 1 according to the invention, as shown inFIG. 2, includes a cartridge storage opening 12 for storing the filmcartridge 6. And, the opening 12 has a shape substantially identicalwith the shape of the film cartridge 6, which eliminates the possibilitythat a different kind of cartridge can be loaded in by mistake.

Also, the film image input system 1, as shown in FIG. 1, furtherincludes film supply means 13 which can be rotationally driven in bothdirections, and the film supply means 13 is disposed at a position to beengageable with the spool 8.

Further, the film image input system 1 further includes loadingcompletion detect means 14 (FIG. 2) which can detect that the loading ofthe film cartridge 6 has been completed when the film cartridge 6 hasbeen inserted into the storage opening 12 and the storage opening 12 hasbeen closed. Also, the cartridge storage part 15 includes optical markreadout means 16 (FIG. 1) which confirms the fact that the film 2 hasalready been developed and the kind of the film 2, allows lock means 17to lock the storage opening so that the opening cannot be opened bymistake, and after then switches an image signal process circuit 19 fora video monitor 18 in accordance with the kind of the film, with theresult that the supply means 13 starts to rotate in the direction tofeed out the film 2.

However, if the film cartridge 6 does not include the label 10 with theprinted optical mark 11 for displaying the developed film or if thecontents of the printed mark 11 are different, then the film image inputsystem 1 displays an alarm to that effect and enters the wait state.Also, according to another function of the present system 1, the system1 displays the above-mentioned alarm and allows the closed storageopening 12 to open automatically so that the film cartridge 6 can betaken out.

If it is confirmed that the film is a developed one, as expected, thenthe leading end of the film 2 is fed out from the film outlet opening 7in the cartridge main body by means of the rotational movement of thesupply means 13. Also, at a position adjacent to the cartridge storagepart 15 and where the perforation 3 of the film 2 exists, there isdisposed an optical sensor 20 which is used to detect the presence orabsence of the film 2, that is, the optical sensor 20 confirms the factthat the film 2 has been sent out. The width-direction end of adeveloped negative film (FIG. 3) can be detected optically becausenormally it is slightly colored. Also, in the case of a reversal film,if the above-mentioned end reaches an undeveloped area, since the end isvirtually opaque, then the end of the film can be detected some timeafter the end has passed.

Film take-up means 21, substantially at the same time when the filmsupply means 13 starts to rotate, rotates slightly faster than the filmsupply means 13 at the speed of the longitudinal direction of the film2.

In order to pick up the film image, the film image input system 1includes a pair of opening frames 22 as means which is used toprovisionally stop the film 2 at a prescribed position to thereby form apicture screen. The opening frames 22 are arranged to open and close insynchronization with the movements of the film supply means 13 and filmtake-up means 21. That is, the opening frames 22 are closed only whenboth of the means 13, 21 are stopped and, in other cases, the openingframes 22 are opened spaced from each other at such a distance that doesnot interfere with the passage of the film 2. For this reason, theleading end of the film 2 is able to pass easily between the two openingframes 22 and reach the take-up side spool 23. Since the take-up sidespool 23 is constructed in such a shape that allows easy winding of theleading end of the film 2, the spool 23 starts to take up the film 2round itself.

The film supply means 13 stops its movement at a given interval after itconfirms that the film 2 has been sent out, and at the same time thefilm supply means 13 applies to the film 2 a tension in the oppositedirection to the advancing direction of the film 2. The tension is usedonly to prevent the film 2 from loosening and thus it is not so strongas can damage the film 2.

The film presence/absence detect means 20 is also able to detect theperforations 3 (FIG. 3) and is disposed at a position to be able todetect any one of the perforations when the first frame of the filmimage reaches the position where the opening frames 22 are formed. Acounter 24 connected to the film presence/absence detect means 20 countsthe number of the perforations 3 detected and, when the first frame ofimage reaches the position of the opening frames 22, the film take-upmeans 21 is caused to stop and at the same time the opening frames 22are closed.

Then, the film image is projected through the image pickup opticalsystem 25 on to the image sensor 26 and it is then reproduced throughthe image signal process circuit 19 on the video monitor 18 as a videoimage.

After the lapse of a given time or when a frame feed button 27 isdepressed, the opening frames 22 are opened and, after this opening, thefilm take-up means 21 resumes its rotation. During this, the videomonitor 18 is still displaying the first frame video image thereon bymeans of an image signal memory circuit 28 provided in the image signalprocess circuit 19.

The following advancement of the film 2 and detection of theperforations as well as the stop of the film 2 and the sequences ofreproduction are almost similar to the those of the first frame.

If the number of frames taken that is displayed by a mark 11 (FIG. 4)optically detectable by the film cartridge 6 coincides with the numberof frames reproduced by the film image input system 1 (FIG. 1), the filmimage input system 1 stops the winding operation of the film take-upmeans 21, terminates the reproduction of the video images, and rotatesthe film supply means 13 in the opposite direction to the film feedingdirection to thereby rewind the film 2 into the film cartridge 6. Inthis state, the opening frames 22 are left closed and the film take-upmeans 21 is applying to the film a tension in the opposite direction tothe advancing direction of the film 2. And, the film presence/absencedetect means 20 detects the perforations 3 passing therethrough and thussubtracts the value of the counter 24.

The time when the value of the counter 24 becomes (−1) corresponds tothe time when the whole film has passed through the filmpresence/absence detect means 20. After then, at a given interval, thefact that the film cartridge 6 can be discharged is displayed and at thesame time the lock 17 (FIG. 2) of the cartridge storage opening 12 isremoved, or the cartridge storage opening 12 is automatically opened tothereby enable the film cartridge 6 to be taken out.

However, the above-mentioned first embodiment has still some problems tobe solved. That is, when using a film taken by a camera of a type that,just after loading the film cartridge 6 into the camera, sends out oncethe whole film from the cartridge and then takes a picture sequentiallyfrom the last end frame of the film while rewinding the film, accordingto the reproducing method described in the above-mentioned firstembodiment, the picture-taking order and the reproducing order arereversed and, therefore, the image reproduced in this manner may give anappreciator a slightly strange feeling. And, when there exists anunphotographed frame between the photographed frames, the unphotographedframe must be wasted.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there has been proposeda method in which the information on the photograph starting framenumber, photograph end frame number and the numbers of unphotographedframes is added to the film cartridge 6 as optical detect marks at aprocessing laboratory or by the reproduced image appreciator himself orherself. However, it cannot be said that this is an efficient method.

Second Embodiment

The above-mentioned problems can be solved by a second embodiment of theinvention which will be described hereinbelow.

That is, according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, thefilm 2 is coated with a magnetic recording layer. In the magneticrecording layer, the photograph start frame number and the photographend frame number are recorded at the magnetic recording position 30 ofthe 0 frame which is a virtual image surface by the camera and whether aframe is already photographed or not is recorded at the correspondingposition 31 of each frame also by the camera.

In the second embodiment of the film image input system of theinvention, as shown in FIG. 6, a magnetic head 32 contactable with themagnetic recording layer of the film is disposed adjacent to the filmoutput opening 7 of the film cartridge 6.

When the film cartridge 6 (FIG. 7) in which the magnetically recordedfilm is stored is loaded into the film image input system 29, variousoperations necessary until the film is sent out are executed in the samemanner as mentioned above. However, after such operations, at the sametime when the film presence/absence detect means 20 detects aperforation 33 corresponding to the position of the virtual imagesurface 0 frame, the magnetic recording information is read in by themagnetic head 32. By decoding the information, a microcomputer 35 storesthe photograph start number and the photograph end number. If thephotograph start number is greater than the photograph end number, thenthe microcomputer 35 feeds the film quickly to the position of thephotograph start frame while counting the number of perforations by useof the film presence/absence detect means 20 and counter 24 and stopsthe film there.

In the above operation, the magnetic head 32 reads the magneticrecording information corresponding to the respective frames and, ifthere exists any unphotographed frame, then stores the number thereof.Other operations are similar to those described before. Also, after thefilm is stopped at the photograph start frame position, reproduction ofthe respective frames ranging from the photograph start frame to thephotograph end frame is performed sequentially while rewinding the filminto the film cartridge 6. In this reproduction, if there is found anunphotographed frame which is stored during the quick feeding, then thereproduction of the frame is omitted and the operation is advanced tothe next frame. The stored final photograph frame number is comparedwith the counter value of the perforation number to thereby judge thephotograph end frame. If the reproduction of the photograph end frame iscompleted, then the film is rewound into the film cartridge 6 similarlyas in the first embodiment.

Contrary to the above mentioned case, when the photograph start frame issmaller than the photograph end frame number, the images of therespective frames of the film can be reproduced while delivering thefilm in the direction to send out the film from the film cartridge 6.

A further embodiment is also effective. In other words, instead of theoptical mark to display the kind of the film and whether the film isdeveloped or not used in the film cartridge 6 in the above-mentionedfirst embodiment, it is possible in the second embodiment of the presentfilm image input system to use magnetic record information which isrecorded in a film maker and in a developing laboratory.

Third Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a perspective view of an outlineof a third embodiment of a film image input system according to theinvention. As shown in FIG. 8, according to the present film image inputsystem 100, a developed still photo film 124 is illuminated by alighting unit 112, then the image of the film is picked up by an imagepickup device including a taking lens (zoom lens 114) and a solid imagepickup element 116 formed of a CCD or the like, the image signal isoutput to a video monitor 119 (FIG. 9), and finally the film image isreproduced on the video monitor 119.

The film 124 is a developed negative or positive film and is stored in afilm cartridge 127 having two spools (two shafts), and the filmcartridge 127 is set into a cartridge mounting part 115.

The lighting unit 112, which also serves as the cover of the cartridgemounting part 115, is rotated in a direction of an arrow A-B to open andclose the cartridge mounting part 115. The lighting unit 112, as shownin FIG. 9, includes a light source 118, a reflection plate 120 and adiffusion plate 122 and the light from the light source 118 and thelight that is reflected by the reflection plate 120 are projected on tothe diffusion plate 122, where the light is diffused to turn out into afilm illuminating light. The illuminating light illuminates the image ofthe film 124 and is then guided into the taking lens 114.

The taking lens 114 is a zoom lens including a magnification varyinglens 126. That is, the magnification varying lens 126 is moved in theright and left directions in FIG. 9 by a zoom drive part 128 whichinputs a zoom signal from a control part 132 to thereby perform azooming operation so as to zoom in and zoom out the image of the film124. Also, a zoom position detect part 130 detects the moving position(zooming position) of the magnification varying lens 126 and adds thezoom information to the control part 132.

A film drive part 134 is arranged such that various kinds of film feedsignals can be applied thereto from the control part 132 and, inaccordance with the signals input thereto, the film drive part 134 movesthe film 124 within the film cartridge 127 in an X direction (that is, adirection intersecting the sheet of paper at right angles in FIG. 9).Also, the film drive part 134 moves the film 124 at high speeds in thefast feeding, rewinding and frame feeding, and moves the film 124 at lowspeeds in the scan feeding.

On the other hand, in accordance with a scan signal applied thereto fromthe control part 132, a lens drive part 138 moves the taking lens 114and CCD 116 in a Y direction (that is, a vertical direction in FIG. 9).That is, by means of the scan feeding of the film 124 by the film drivepart 134 and the movements of the taking lens 114 and CCD 116 by thelens drive parts 138, the vertical and horizontal direction scans of theimage of the film 124 can be achieved.

The film image taken by the taking lens 114 is formed on the lightreceiving surface of the CCD 116 and is then converted by the respectivesensors of the CCD 116 into a signal charge in an amount correspondingthe intensity of the light. These signal charges are read outsequentially and output to an image signal process circuit 117. Theimage signal process circuit 117, which includes a sample hold circuit,a white balance circuit, a γ correction circuit, a matrix circuit, anencoder circuit and the like, executes a given signal process by meansof these circuits and after then outputs to the video monitor 119 animage signal representing the film image. In this manner, the image ofthe film 124 can be displayed on the video monitor 119. When the film124 is a negative film, then a signal process for carrying out anegative and positive inversion is also executed in the image signalprocess circuit 117.

A CCD rotary part 140 rotates the CCD 116 is rotated 90°, 180°, and 270°in a clockwise direction when viewed from the taking lens side, inaccordance with a rotary instruction signal applied thereto from thecontrol part 132, and a rotary position detect part 142 detects therotary position of the CCD 116 and outputs the position information tothe control part 132. When the image reproduced on the video monitor 119is rotated 90° in a counter clockwise direction (CCW), the the CCD 116is rotated 90° in the clockwise direction (CW) to thereby be able toturn the monitor image into an erect image. Similarly, when the imagereproduced on the video monitor 119 is rotated 90° in the CW direction,then the CCD 116 is rotated 270° in the CW direction (90° in the CCWdirection) to thereby be able to turn the monitor image into an erectimage and also when the image reproduced on the video monitor 119 isturned upside down, then the CCD 116 is rotated 180° in the CW directionto thereby be able to turn the monitor image into an erect image.

The control part 132, in accordance with signals from the zoom positiondetect part 130, rotary position detect part 142, film informationrecording/reproducing part 144 and an operation part 146, outputsvarious control signals to the zoom drive part 128, film drive part 134,lens drive part 138 and CCD rotary part 140, and also it outputs thefilm information to the film information recording/reproducing part 144to record the film information into the film 124, according to demand.

The film information recording/reproducing part 144, in accordance withthe signal from the control part 132, records the film information (suchas zoom information, scan position information, CCD rotation informationand the like) on to the magnetic recording surface of every frame of thefilm, and it also reads out the film information from the film 124 andthen outputs the film information to the control part 132.

Detection of the frames of this film 124 is achieved by the filminformation recording/reproducing part 144 reading out the frameinformation of each frame recorded in the film, or, as shown in FIG. 10,by use of frame detect means for detecting optically or mechanically anotch 124A representing a frame position previously set in the film 124,and the frame detect means is outputting the frame information to thecontrol part 132. When the frame position is detected optically ormechanically, the invention is not limited to the above-mentioned notch124A, but a hole may be formed for each frame of the film 124.

Also, as shown in FIG. 10, in the leading and trailing ends of the film124 there are formed long cutaway portions 124B and 124C, respectively,and thus the beginning and end of the film 124 can be detected bydetecting these cutaway portions 124B and 124C, respectively.

In FIG. 11, there is shown an example of the above mentioned framedetect means. This frame detect means is composed of a photo interrupter147 which optically detects a hole 124E formed in each frame forrepresenting the position of the frame and outputs a frame detect signalto a frame No. operation part (counter) 148. The frame No. operationpart 148 calculates the frame number of a film image being currentlyreproduced in accordance with the frame detect signal applied theretofrom the photo interrupter 147. That is, the frame No. operation part148 resets its count value to 0 when the beginning of the film 124 isdetected and, after then, when a frame detect signal is input while thefilm 124 is being fed in a forward direction (+X direction), then itcounts up its count value and, when a frame detect signal is input whilethe film 124 is being fed in the reverse direction (−X direction),counts down its count value.

Besides the image signal from the CCD 116, information representing theframe number from the frame No. operation part 148 is being applied tothe image signal process circuit 117. The image signal process circuit117, in accordance with the frame number information, reads out acharacter signal indicating the frame number from a character generator(not shown), inserts the character signal into the image signal from theCCD 116, and outputs the signal to the video monitor 119. In thismanner, the frame number is superimposed on the image displayed on thevideo monitor 119. Here, the frame number display method may include amethod of always displaying the frame number in the image reproduced, amethod of displaying the frame number only for a given period of timeafter change of the frame number and other methods. Also, in the case ofthe final frame, for example, by displaying the frame numberflickerlingly, the final frame can also be informed.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12(A), as the frame detect means, an electriccontact 149 of a contact type may be used. This electric contact 149, asshown in FIG. 12(B), is energized at the position of the hole 124E andis cut off at other positions, so that the electric contact 149 is ableto detect the frame position.

Further, for example, when the film 124 has a magnetic recording part,that is, a magnetic layer, in order to detect the frame number, theframe number information may be recorded into the magnetic layer and, inthe frame feeding, the frame number information may be reproduced by theinformation recording/reproducing part 144.

Moreover, when voice information is recorded in the magnetic layer ofthe film 124, as shown in FIG. 13, the voice information is detected bya magnetic head 150 and the detected voice information is then output toa voice circuit 151. The voice circuit 151, which includes a memory partfor storing the voice information temporarily, stores the voiceinformation in the memory part and at the same time outputs to a controlcircuit 152 a signal indicating the presence or absence of the voiceinformation. Since the frame number information is being applied to theother input of the control circuit 152 from the frame No. operation part148, the control circuit 152 outputs to the image signal process circuit117 a signal indicating the frame number information and the presence orabsence of the voice information.

The image signal process circuit 117 displays the frame number havingthe voice information recorded therein and the frame number having novoice information in distinction from each other. For example, thecircuit 117 changes the display color of the frame number or flickersthe frame number according to the presence or absence of the voiceinformation. And, if an operation to output a voice is executedresponsive to the change of display of the frame number, then thecircuit 117 outputs to a speaker (not shown) the voice informationtemporarily stored in the voice circuit 151 to thereby be able toreproduce the voice.

Referring now to FIG. 14, there is shown a block diagram of mainportions of a modification of the film image input system shown in FIG.9. This modification is different from the system shown in FIG. 9 mainlyin that it includes a frame memory 153 which is used to record a frameof image signal.

A frame detector 154 detects the frame position of the film 124 and thenoutputs a frame detect signal to the control part 132. When the framedetect signal is input thereto from the frame detector 154 in the framefeeding, then the control part 132 instructs the film drive part 134 tostop its film feeding operation. This permits feeding of the frames ofthe film 124.

The control part 132 is able to control the image signal process circuit117 enabled or disabled and at the same time is able to control thewriting of the image signal into the frame memory 153. That is, thecontrol part 132, after completion of the frame feeding, enables theimage signal process circuit 117 to thereby output the image signals forthe currently photographed frames to the frame memory 153 sequentially,and at the same time enables the writing of the image signals into theframe memory 153. And, the image signals sequentially read out from theframe memory 153 are output to the video monitor 119 and are thenreproduced on the video monitor 119.

On the other hand, various signals are being applied to the control part132 from the operation part 146. If a fast feeding signal or a framefeeding signal is applied thereto, then the control part 132 controlsthe film drive part 134 to fast feed or frame feed the film 124. At thesame time, the control part 132 disables the image signal processcircuit 117 to thereby stop the output of the image signals and alsoprohibits updating of the storage contents of the frame memory 153. As aresult of this, in the film fast feeding or in the film frame feeding,the film image that is photographed just before the film feeding isreproduced on the video monitor 119 as a still image.

Now, in FIG. 15, there is shown a block diagram of main portions ofanother modification of the film image input system shown in FIG. 9.This modification is different from the modification shown in FIG. 14 inthe method of connecting the frame memory. That is, in FIG. 14, theframe memory 153 is connected in series to the output of the imagesignal process circuit 117, while in FIG. 15 a frame memory 155 isconnected in parallel to the image signal process circuit 117. With suchparallel connection, the image signals in other cases than the filmfeeding operation can be applied from the image signal process circuit117 directly to the video monitor 119 not through the frame memory 155,thereby improving the image quality. Also, in the film feedingoperation, similarly as in FIG. 14, the image signals are read out fromthe frame memory 155 and the film image that is photographed just beforethe film feeding is reproduced on the video monitor 119 as a stillimage. It should be noted here that the image signals for a plurality offrames can be compressed and stored in the frame memory 155 and they canbe reproduced as a multi-image (for example, an index image, a combinedimage or the like).

In FIG. 16, there is shown a block diagram of a recording system forrecording various kinds of information into the magnetic layer 125 ofthe film 124, and in FIG. 17 there is shown a block diagram of areproducing system for reproducing various kinds of information recordedin the magnetic layer 125 of the film 124.

As shown in FIG. 16, at first in photographing, zoom information fromthe zoom position detect part 130, F number information calculated basedon an AE sensor (not shown) or the like, shutter speed information froma shutter speed setting dial 133A, information indicating UP/DOWN of astrobe-light 133B of a pop-up type (presence or absence of strobe flashlight), exposure correction information from an exposure correction dial133C, and photographing date and time information from a timer 133D areinput to an IC memory 135 provided in a main body of a camera, and suchinformation is recorded, in the frame feeding operation, through aninterface 157 and a head amplifier 158 by a magnetic head 159 into themagnetic layer 125 in the upper end of the frame in which an object 160is photographed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 17, in reproduction, if a filmcartridge 127 with a developed film 124 wound thereround is set in afilm image input system 100 and the frames of the film 124 are fed, thenthe information recorded in the magnetic layer 125 of this film 124 (forexample, the photographing information input from the camera inphotographing, as described above) is read out by means of a magnetichead 162, and the thus read-out information is then stored through ahead amplifier 163 and an interface 164 in an IC memory 165.

The information stored in the IC memory 165 is applied through aninterface 166 to the image signal process circuit 117 when the imagesignal converted photo-electrically by a CCD 116 is applied to the imagesignal process circuit 117, and is then converted into a charactersignal indicating the photographing information in the image signalprocess circuit 117. And, the character signal is mixed with theabove-mentioned image signal and is then output to the video monitor119, whereby the photographing information is superimposed on the imagedisplayed on the video monitor 119. Here, if pseudo zoom information(that is, information for enlarging a given range in printing withoutzooming the taking lens) is recorded in the above-mentionedphotographing information, then the taking lens 114 of the film imageinput system is automatically zoomed in accordance with the pseudo zoominformation recorded in the film 124, whereby a film image in a pseudozoom state in photographing can be reproduced on the video monitor 119.

In FIG. 18, there is shown a block diagram of details of the filminformation recording/reproducing part 144 shown in FIG. 9. A filmcartridge 127 shown in FIG. 18 includes a film supply room 127A and afilm take-up room 127B and the film 124, that is, the frames of the film124 are fed in a direction of an arrow from the film supply room 127A tothe film take-up room 127B. The film 124 includes on the upper or lowerend portion thereof a long and narrow magnetic layer on which arecording track 124B is formed. Necessary information such aspostrecording information, trimming information and the like can berecorded into and reproduced from the magnetic recording track 124B.

In the film image input system, a magnetic head 162A for reproduction isdisposed on the film supply side (upstream side of the film feedingdirection) of the film cartridge 127 and a magnetic head 162B forrecording is disposed on the film winding side (downstream side of thefilm feeding direction) of the film cartridge 127. The two magneticheads 162A and 162B are spaced by one frame from each other. Themagnetic heads 162A and 162B are respectively connected through a headamplifier 163 to a control circuit 165A.

The control circuit 165A, in voice recording, compresses the voiceinformation that is input therein through an A/D converter 165B from amicrophone 165C and allows a memory 165F to store the compressed voiceinformation and, in frame feeding, reads out the voice informationstored in the memory 165F and then outputs the voice information throughthe amplifier 163 to the magnetic head 162B for recording. In thismanner, the voice information is recorded into the magnetic recordingtrack 124B.

Also, the control circuit 165A, in voice reproduction, inputs the voiceinformation from the magnetic recording track 124B through thereproducing magnetic head 162A and the amplifier 163 in frame feeding,and allows the memory 165F to store the voice information. After then,the control circuit 165A reads out the voice information from the memory165F and then outputs the voice information through a D/A converter 165Dto a speaker 165F after the voice information is expanded. As a resultof this, the voice information that is recorded in the recording track124B can be reproduced as a voice.

Now, description will be given below of the operation of the filminformation recording/reproducing part for use in a film image inputsystem according to the invention constructed in the above-mentionedmanner.

At first, description will be given of a case in which the voiceinformation is recorded. The film 124 is fed in a direction of an arrowin FIG. 18 and at the present time the image of the film 124 is situatedin a photograph frame 124A. In this state, the voice information isinput from the microphone 165C. The input voice information is storedthrough the A/D converter 165B and control circuit 165A into the memory165F.

And, in order to display a next new frame, if the frame feeding of thefilm 124 is started, then the control circuit 165A reads out the inputvoice information simultaneously from the memory 165F and records thevoice information through the amplifier 163 and the recording magnetichead 162B into the magnetic recording track 124B of the frame 124A.

Next, description will be given of a case in which the recorded voiceinformation is reproduced. In a state where in reproduction the film 124is frame fed in the arrow direction (forward direction) and the frame124A shown in FIG. 18 is being displayed, the reproducing magnetic head162A has completed tracing the magnetic recording track 124B in whichthe voice information for the frame 124A is recorded, and thus the voiceinformation has been input through the amplifier 163 into the controlcircuit 165A and has been recorded in the memory 165F. And, if aninstruction is given by means of a voice output button or the like, thenthe control circuit 165A reads out the voice information from the memory165F, expands the voice information and then outputs the voiceinformation through the D/A converter 165D to the speaker 165E. By meansof this, a voice commenting on the image can be heard while viewing theimage.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the reproducing magnetic head 162A isdisposed on the upstream side in the film feeding direction and therecording magnetic head 162B is disposed on the downstream side in thefilm feeding direction. However, this arrangement is not limitative, butrecording/reproducing magnetic heads may be disposed on the downstreamand upstream sides, respectively.

In other words, if the film feeding direction is reversed, then theupstream and downstream sides are reversed accordingly. However, if theabove-mentioned recording/reproducing magnetic heads are used byswitching in such a manner that the downstream side magnetic head isalways a recording head and the upstream side magnetic head is always areproducing head, then the recording/reproducing magnetic heads can alsobe applied even when the film feeding direction is reversed.

Here, it should be noted that, when the film feeding direction inrecording is different from the film feeding direction in reproduction,the voice information recorded into the memory must be reproducedreversely to turn into a normal voice.

Also, a part into which the information input to the camera is recordedis not limited to the magnetic layer of the film, but the informationmay be recorded optically into a photosensitive layer, or may berecorded into an IC memory mounted in the film cartridge. Here, theinformation to be recorded into the film from the camera includespre-wind information indicating that after the film was woundpreviously, the photographing has been started. In order to reproducethe film with the pre-wind information recorded therein by means of thefilm image input system, the film within the film cartridge isautomatically pre-wound and, after then, the frames of the film may befed forwardly.

Referring now to FIG. 19, there is shown a block diagram of mainportions of a film image input system including an exposure adjustcircuit 167 and a color adjust circuit 168. In this figure, in theexposure adjust circuit 167 there is previously set a brightness levelat which a monitor image can have a desired brightness. The exposureadjust circuit 167 compares the brightness level of a brightness signalY input from the image signal process circuit 117 with the previouslyset brightness level. If the brightness of the film image is darker, thecircuit 167 increases the degree of opening of an iris 169 and, if thebrightness of the image is lighter, the circuit 167 decreases the degreeof opening of the iris 169.

On the other hand, there is previously set in the color adjust circuit168 a chroma level at which the monitor image can have a desired color.The color adjust circuit 168 compares the chroma level of a chromasignal C input from the image signal process circuit 117 with thepreviously set chroma level, and adjusts the chroma signal so that thefilm image can have the best color.

In FIG. 20, there is shown a plan view of an embodiment of an operationpart 146 of a film image input system 100. The operation part 146, whichcomprises, for example, an infrared remote-controlled transmitter,transmits an infrared remote-controlled signal to a receiver (not shown)provided on the film image input system side, responsive to theoperations of various switches.

In the operation part 146, there are provided zoom switches 146A, 146Bwhich are respectively used to zoom in and zoom out the image, a scanlever 146C used to scan the film image, switches 146D, 146E, 146F, 146Grespectively used to rotate the CCD 116 and erect the monitor image,switches 146H, 146I, respectively used to feed frames forwardly andreversely, a display switch 146K for monitoring all information recordedin the film including the frame number, date and the like of the film124, and other switches.

Also, in the lower end portion of the remote-control operation part,there is provided a cover which can be opened and closed. Below thecover, there are arranged, as hidden switches, a number setting switch146L which inputs the number of prints, an input switch 146M whichinputs a reprint or inputs automatic reproducing information, an erasingswitch 146N which erases the input of the reprint or the input of theautomatic reproducing information, switches 146P, 146R respectively forsetting a display time, a start switch 146S, a stop switch 146T and thelike. In FIG. 20, 146W designates an INV switch which is depressedbefore a new bit of information is input.

Next, description will be given below of the operation of the film imageinput system of the invention constructed in the above-mentioned manner.

At first, the film cartridge 127 having therein a developed film 124 isset into the film image input system 100. Responsive to this, thecontrol part 132 controls the film drive part 134 such that the firstframe of the film 124 is situated between the lighting unit 112 and thetaking lens 114. The image of the first frame is illuminated by thelighting unit 112 and is then output through the taking lens 114, CCD116 and image signal process circuit 117 to the video monitor 119.

When the film image of the whole of one frame displayed in this state isto be zoomed or scanned, the zoom switches 146A, 146B or scan lever 146Cin the operation part 146 are (or is) operated to thereby apply a zoomsignal or a scan signal to the control part 132. Responsive to thesignals input from the operation part 146, the control part 132 drivesthe zoom drive part 128, lens drive part 138 and film drive part 134 tothereby zoom the taking lens 114 or scan the film image. By means ofthis, the film image of the whole of one frame is trimmed properly andis then reproduced as a trimming image on the video monitor 119. Here,it should be noted that the reproducing information of the film imagesuch as the then zoom information, scan position, CCD rotationinformation and the like can be recorded from the control part 132through the information recording/reproducing part 144 to the magneticlayer of the frame as occasion demands in the frame feeding.

Next, when the film 124 is frame fed and the image of the next frame isreproduced, the reproduction of the film image is carried out accordingto the mode selected by a mode select switch (not shown) which canselect a desired mode from a manual mode, an auto mode and a standardmode. That is, the manual mode is a mode in which the image of a newframe is reproduced in the same condition as in the scanning condition,the auto mode is a mode in which the image is automatically reproducedin accordance with the reproduction information recorded in the film124, and the standard mode is a mode in which the image of a new frameis reproduced in a standard condition irrespective of the zooming andscanning condition of the previous frame. Here, the standard conditionis a condition in which the image of the whole of a frame is put intothe entire picture of the video monitor 119. Specifically, the standardcondition includes two kinds of standard conditions: in one of thestandard conditions, an object is photographed transversely in the film;and, in the other standard condition, the object is photographedlongitudinally in the film. Also, in reproduction, either of the twostandard conditions can be selected automatically according to the CCDrotation information from the rotary position detect part 142.

Next, description will be given below of a method of inputting thereproduction information (such as the zoom information, scan positionand the like) on the display image of each frame using the operationpart 146 as well as an automatic reproducing method using thereproduction information with reference to a flow chart shown in FIG.21. As the recording means for recording the reproduction information inthis case, the magnetic layer of the film, an IC memory mounted into thecartridge, an IC memory provided within the film image input system orthe like can be used.

At first, the frame feeding switch 146H for feeding frames in a forwarddirection is depressed to feed one frame of the film 124 so as todisplay the image of the frame by and on the video monitor 119 (Step170). Next, while observing the displayed image, the zoom switches 46A,46B, scan lever 46C, and the like are operated to thereby set a desiredreproduction image (Step 172). Here, as occasion demands, increasing ordecreasing seconds with respect to a standard display time (for example,5 seconds) are corrected by pressing down the time setting switches146P, 146R (Step 174). After then, the input switch 146M is depressed tothereby input the reproduction information (Step 176). And, until inputof the reproduction information of all frames is completed, theforegoing procedures are executed repeatedly (Step 178).

After input of the reproduction information, if the mode select switchis switched into the auto mode and the start switch 146S is presseddown, then the reproduction information is read out and the frames areautomatically reproduced sequentially one by one in accordance with thereproduction information (Step 180).

On the other hand, when it is desired to stop the reproducing image fora longer period of time than a set time during the automaticreproduction, the stop switch 146T is pressed down to thereby stop theimage (Steps 182, 184). After then, when reproducing the image again,the start switch 146S is depressed (Steps 186, 180). Also, if thereproductions are executed sequentially and the reproduction of theimage of the final frame is completed, then the automatic reproductionis completed (Steps 188, 189).

By the way, when some automatic reproduction information is input bymistake or when some input is desired to change, the INV switch 146W isdepressed while the corresponding frame is being displayed on the videomonitor 119 and after then the erasing switch 146N is pressed down, sothat the automatic reproduction information on the image being displayedon the video monitor 119 can be erased. Also, when it is desired toerase the automatic reproduction information on all films within thefilm cartridge, the INV switch 146W as well as the erasing switch 146Nare depressed.

Next, description will be given below of a method of inputting reprintinformation for a proper frame in the operation part 146 with referenceto a flow chart shown in FIG. 22. Here, Steps 190 and 192 are the sameas the Steps 170 and 172 described above, respectively, and thus thedescription thereof is omitted. And, zooming magnification of thereproducing image is possible up to about ten times a standardmagnification, for example, because the resolving power of the image onthe film is higher than that of the screen of the video monitor 119.However, when reprint information is input, the zooming magnificationmust not exceed 3 times the standard magnification (for example, amagnification at which the image of the whole of one frame is put in theentire picture), in order not to lower the quality of the print image.By the way, 3 times is the maximum magnification that can keep thequality as an ordinary photo print.

After a reproduction image (trimming) is set in Step 192, the numbersetting switch 146L is pressed down to thereby set the number of prints(Step 194). Here, when decreasing the print number, the INV switch 146Wis depressed and after then the number setting switch 146L is depressed.If both of these switches 146W and 146L are pressed down once, then thenumber of prints can be increased or decreased by one. After setting thenumber of prints, the input switch 146M is pressed down to thereby inputthe trimming information and print number information. And, until inputof the print information of all frames is completed, the foregoingoperations are executed repeatedly (Step 198). Wrong input can be erasedin the similar procedures described in the above-mentioned automaticreproducing method. Also, the film cartridge is not limited to the filmcartridge shown in FIG. 8 which has two shafts, that is, the film supplyspool and take-up spool, but a film cartridge having one shaft like thefilm cartridge 123 shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 may also be used.

Fourth Embodiment

In FIG. 23, there is shown a perspective view of an outline of a fourthembodiment of a film image input system according to the invention. Asshown in FIG. 23, a long and narrow, developed still photo film isstored in a film cartridge 202 having a spool (a shaft) 202A, the filmcartridge 202 is in turn stored in a cartridge holder 203, and thus thefilm is set into a cartridge mounting part of the present film imageinput system 200 by use of the cartridge holder 203.

The film in the film cartridge 202 set in the cartridge mounting part issent out from the film cartridge 202, is wound round a take-up reel 204,and is then taken up frame by frame by the take-up reel 204. Therespective frames of the film fed in this manner are then illuminated bya lighting unit 205, and the film images of the respective framesilluminated are picked up by a taking lens 206 and are then formed onphotocells on the light receiving surface of a CCD 207, where they areconverted into image signals respectively. The image signals are thenoutput to a video monitor (not shown) so that the film images can bereproduced by the video monitor.

Next, description will be given below in detail of a film guidemechanism, a reel drive mechanism, a cartridge mounting mechanism, aholder lock mechanism, a mode select mechanism and the like included inthe present film image input system 200.

Film Guide Mechanism

In FIG. 24, there is shown a front view of the film image input system,mainly the film guide mechanism thereof, when viewed from the side ofthe lighting unit 205 of FIG. 23. Also, in FIG. 25, there is shown asection view taken along the line 25—25 in FIG. 24.

As shown in FIG. 24, there is provided a base plate 208 on which asupply reel 209 and the take-up reel 204 are rotatably disposed. Also,on the base plate 208, there are erected a positioning pin 211 forresting a film guide member 210 thereon and three support pins 212A,212B, 212C each having an internally threaded portion.

On the bottom surface of the film guide member 210, there is formed ahole 210A into which the positioning pin 211 can be fitted. The filmguide member 210 can be positioned at one point thereof by thepositioning pin 211 and can be threadedly mounted on to the support pins212A, 212B, 212C by means of screws 213A, 213B, 213C (FIG. 25). Also,coil springs 214A, 214B, 214C are inserted into the support pins 212A,212B, 212C, respectively, and the film guide member 210 are resilientlysupported by means of these coil springs 214A, 214B, 214C.

And, the amounts of tightening of the screws 213A and 213B are adjustedto thereby control the film guide member 210 so that it can stand erectperpendicularly to the base plate 208. Also, the tightening amounts ofthe screws 213B and 213C are adjusted to thereby control the film guidemember 210 so that it is parallel to the base plate 208.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 25, an angle 215 is fixed to thebase plate 208 by a screw 216. A screw 217 is fixed to one end of theangle 215 and is also threadedly engageable with the film guide member210. And, by turning the screw 217, the angle of the film guide member210 can be adjusted so that the surface of the film can intersect theoptical axis of the taking lens 206 at right angles. The positioning pin211 is disposed in such a manner that it is located perpendicularlybelow the film 201 to be guided by the film guide member 210.

Now, the film guide member 210 includes a film storage part 210B forstoring the film cartridge 202 which is stored in the cartridge holder203, and a film storage part 210C in which a take-up shaft 204A of thetake-up reel 204A is stored. Between the two film storage parts 210B and210C, there is formed a window part 210D to which the film image of oneframe of the film 201 faces and at the same time there are formed guidegrooves 210E and 210F which are respectively used to guide the upper andlower ends of the film 201.

Also, on the entrance and outlet sides of the window part 210D of thefilm guide member 210, that is, on the entrance and outlet sides of animage pickup area to be photographed by the taking lens 206, there aredisposed guide rollers 218, 219 and guide rollers 220, 221,respectively.

One pair of guide rollers 218, 219 are disposed so that they can guidethe film 201 in an S-shaped manner or in a Z-shaped manner and the otherpair of guide rollers 220, 221 are similarly disposed so that they canguide the film 201 in an S-shaped or Z-shaped manner. By means of theseguide rollers 218, 219, 220, 221, as shown in FIG. 63(B), the filmcurved in the width direction can be flattened.

At least in the portions of the respective guide rollers 218, 219, 220,221 that can contact with the image photographed range of the film,there are provided rollers, respectively. Due to this, even if dust isattached on to the surface of the film 201, the dust can never bestagnant in the contact portion with the guide rollers 218, 219, 220,221, thereby protecting the film against strip-like damage due to thedust. In particular, it is effective to provide, in the guide membercontactable with the emulsion surface side (the side of the guiderollers 219, 220) of the film 201, a guide roller which can be rotatedwith the movement of the film 20.

On the other hand, within the film guide member 210, there is provided aguide tongue piece 222 which extends from the guide roller 220 towardthe take-up shaft 204A. The guide tongue piece 222 is formed of amaterial which is flexible and is softer than the film (such as vinylchloride) and the piece 222 has a shape shown by oblique lines in FIG.24.

Especially when the film 201 is sent out from the film cartridge 202 andthe leading end of the film 201 is automatically wound round the take-upshaft 204A, the guide tongue piece 222 guides the leading end of thefilm 201 to the take-up side of the take-up shaft 204A (that is, theleft side of the take-up shaft 204A in FIG. 25). That is, although thedeveloped film is strongly curled, the guide tongue piece 222 preventsthe leading end of the film from entering the right side of the take-upshaft 204A. Also, as the film 201 is wound round the take-up shaft 204Aand the winding diameter is gradually increased, the guide tongue piece222 retreats while it is contacting with the outer-most winding of thefilm 201.

In FIG. 26, there is shown a guide arm 223 which can be used in place ofthe above-mentioned guide tongue piece 222. The guide arm 223 is free torotate about its support shaft 223A and includes a roller 223B at theleading end thereof. Also, the guide arm 223 is energized in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 224, so that the roller 223B can contactwith the take-up shaft 204A or the film wound round the take-up shaft204A.

The guide arm 223, similarly as in the guide tongue piece 222, preventsthe leading end 201A of the film 201 from entering the film storage part210C on the right side of the take-up shaft 204A shown in FIG. 26.

In FIG. 25, there are provided film holders 225 and 226 round thetake-up shaft 204A. The film holders 225 and 226 are respectivelyarranged in such a manner that the leading ends of the film holders 225and 226 can be brought into contact with the take-up shaft 204A or thefilm wound round the take-up shaft 204A by means of torsion springs 225Aand 226A, respectively. Also, in the periphery of the take-up shaft204A, there is provided a claw portion 204B which is engageable with theperforations of the film 201. Therefore, after the film 201 is sent outfrom the film cartridge 202 and the leading end of the film 201 isguided by the guide tongue piece 222 and film holders 225, 226 and iswound round the take-up shaft 204A, if the take-up shaft 204A is rotatedin the winding direction, then the claw portion 204B of the take-upshaft 204A is engaged with the perforations of the film 201 so that thefilm 201 can be taken up.

Reel Drive Mechanism

In FIG. 27, there is shown a plan view of the film image input system ofthe invention, illustrating mainly a reel drive mechanism thereof. Thereel drive mechanism is structured in such a manner that the fastfeeding, rewinding, frame feeding, scan feeding and sending out of afilm can be achieved by use of a single reel motor 227. In other words,a take-up reel 204 is rotated counter clockwise (CCW) at high speedswhen the film is fast fed and the frames of the film are fed forwardly,a supply reel 209 is rotated clockwise (CW) at high speeds when the filmis rewound and the frames of the film are fed reversely, the take-upreel 204 is rotated in the CCW direction at low speeds when the film isscan fed forwardly (+X scan), the supply reel 209 is rotated in the CWdirection at low speeds when the film is scan fed reversely (−X scan),and the supply reel 209 is rotated in the CCW direction at high speedswhen the film is sent out.

As shown in FIG. 27, the reel drive mechanism consists mainly of a reelmotor 227, oscillating gear mechanisms 228, 229, and oscillation controlmeans for controlling the oscillating ranges of the oscillating gearmechanisms 228, 229.

The reel motor 227 is a DC motor which can be rotated reversibly and therotational speed of which can be changed on the order of 6 times whenthe voltage is varied in a range from 1.5 V to 9 V, for example. Thereel motor 227 is placed on a motor mounting base 227A fixed to a baseplate 208 (FIG. 24), and the rotary drive force of the reel motor 227 istransmitted from a gear 227B provided on the output shaft of the motorthrough reducing gears 230A, 230B, 230C, 230D to a gear 231A forming theoscillatory gear mechanism 228.

In FIG. 28, there is shown a section view taken along the line 28—28 inFIG. 27. As shown in FIG. 28, the oscillatory gear mechanisms 228, 229are arranged in 2 stages, that is, in upper and lower stages. Theoscillatory gear mechanism 228 in the upper stage consists mainly of anarm plate 233A and a gear 231A respectively disposed rotatable about asupport shaft 232 erected on the base plate 208, and an oscillating gear235A disposed rotatable about a threaded support shaft 234A erected onan arm plate 233A and engageable with the gear 231A. A friction member236A is interposed between the arm plate 233A and gear 235A and theoscillating gear 235A is pressurized through a coil spring 237A in sucha manner that a given rotational load by the friction member 236A can beapplied thereto.

Similarly, the oscillating gear mechanism 229 in the lower stagecomprises an arm plate 233B and a gear 231B respectively disposedrotatable about the support shaft 232, and an oscillating gear 235Bdisposed rotatable about a threaded support shaft 234B erected on thearm plate 233B and engageable with the gear 231B. A friction member 236Bis interposed between the arm plate 233B and the oscillating gear 235Band the gear 235B is pressurized through a coil spring 237B in such amanner that a given rotational load by the friction member 236B can beapplied thereto.

In FIG. 27, since the rotational load is applied to the oscillating gear235A engageable with the gear 231A, if a rotational drive force is givento the gear 231A, then the arm plate 233A of the oscillating mechanism228 in the upper stage is rotated in the same direction as therotational direction of the gear 231A. Similarly, because the rotationalload is applied to the oscillating gear 235B engageable with the gear231B, if a rotational drive force is given to the gear 231B through thegear 231A, then the arm plate 233B of the oscillating mechanism 229 inthe lower stage is rotated in the same direction as the rotationaldirection of the gear 231A (gear 231B).

The oscillation control means for controlling the oscillating ranges(rotating ranges) of above-mentioned the gear mechanisms 228, 229comprises cam plates 238, 239, a holding member 240, stoppers 241, 242A,242B and the like.

The cam plate 238 includes an elongated hole 238A which is in engagementwith a pin 243 erected on the base plate 208. Due to this, the cam plate238 is rotatably disposed on the base plate 208. The cam plate 238includes a pin 238B erected thereon, which pin 238B is in engagementwith a groove cam 283 (FIG. 38) which will be discussed later. For thisreason, the cam plate 238 is moved according to the rotational positionsof the groove cam 283.

The cam plate 238 includes a cam groove 283C and stepped portions 238D,238E, and a cam plate 239 having a cam groove 239A is fixed on to thecam plate 238 by a screw 244 (see FIG. 29). On the other hand, on thearm plate 233A there is erected a pin 245A which is engageable with thecam groove 239A of the cam plate 239, while on the arm plate 233B thereis erected a pin 245B engageable with the cam groove 239C of the camplate 238 (see FIG. 28).

Also, a holder member 240 is disposed on the base plate 208 in such amanner that it is freely rotatable through a pin 240A, and the holdermember 240 can be rotated, as occasion demands, by the stepped portions238D, 238E of the cam plate 238. That is, as shown in FIG. 30, theholder member 240 includes an upper end portion which is formedsubstantially in a C shape and has stopper surfaces 240B and 240C. Also,the holder member 240 includes in the lower end portion thereof a raisedportion 240D having a substantially fan shape. Due to this, if thestepped portion 238D of the cam plate 238 is brought into contact withthe raised portion 240D, then the holder member 240 is rotated in the CWdirection in FIG. 27 and, if the cam plate 238 is moved upwardly tobring the stepped portion 238E into contact with the raised portion240D, then the holder member 240 is rotated in the CCW direction.

Next, description will be given below of the control of the rotatingrange of the oscillating gear mechanism 229 in the lower stageconstructed in the above-mentioned manner.

When the cam plate 238 is situated at a position shown in FIG. 27, thepin 245B on the arm plate 233B is then inserted into a narrow groove inthe cam groove 238C, with the result that the arm plate 233B is fixed toa neutral position (a position at which the oscillating gear 235B doesnot mesh with either of the gears 246B or 247B). For this reason, evenif the rotational drive force is applied to the oscillating gear 235Bfrom the reel motor 227, the oscillating gear 235B is not oscillated butruns idle at the neutral position.

On the other hand, if the cam plate 238 is moved upward a given amountin FIG. 27 and the pin 245B on the arm plate 233B arrives at a widegroove portion of the cam groove 238C (see FIG. 29), then the arm plate233B becomes rotatable. And, if the gear 231B is rotated in the CCWdirection by the reel motor 227, then the arm plate 233B is also rotatedin the CCW direction and is abutted against the stopper 242A and theoscillating gear 235B meshes with a gear 246B. After then, if the gear231B is rotated in the CCW direction, then the rotational drive forcethereof is transmitted through the oscillating gear 235B to the gear246B, and is further transmitted through a gear 246A coaxial with thegear 246B to the gear 209A of the supply reel 209. Due to this, thesupply reel 209 is rotated in the CW direction. Similarly, if the gear231B is rotated in the CW direction by the reel motor 227, then the armplate 233B is also rotated in the CW direction and is abutted againstthe stopper 242B, and the oscillating gear 235B meshes with a gear 247B.After then, if the gear 231B is rotated in the CW direction, then therotational drive force thereof is transmitted through the oscillatinggear 235B to the gear 247B, and is further transmitted through a gear247A coaxial with the gear 247A to the gear 204C of the take-up reel204. Due to this, the take-up reel 204 is rotated in the CCW direction.

Next, description will be given of the control of the rotating range ofthe oscillating gear mechanism 228 in the upper stage.

When the cam plate 238 is situated at a position shown in FIG. 27, thepin 245A on the arm plate 233A is inserted into a narrow groove portionof the cam groove 239A, with the result that the arm plate 233A isforcibly rotated to a position at which the oscillating gear 235A mesheswith the gear 246A. Also, at that time, the holder member 240 is rotatedin the CW direction by the stepped portion 238D of the plate cam 238,and the stopper surface 240B (FIG. 30) is abutted against the leadingend of the arm plate 233A to prevent the arm plate 233A from rotating inthe CW direction.

Here, if the gear 231A is rotated in the CW direction by the reel motor227, then a force to rotate the arm plate 233A in the CW direction isapplied to the arm plate 233A. However, because the arm plate 233A isrestricted by the stop surface 240B of the holder member 240 and alsobecause the pin 245A is fitted into the narrow groove portion of the camgroove 239A, the arm plate 233A is not rotated, but the oscillating gear235A is rotated in the CCW direction in mesh with the gear 246A. As aresult of this, the gear 246A is rotated in the CW direction and thesupply reel 209 is rotated in the CCW direction.

If the cam plate 238 is moved a given amount from the position shown inFIG. 27 and the pin 245A on the arm plate 233A arrives substantially atthe center of the cam groove 239A, then the rotating range of the thearm plate 233A is controlled by the substantial center of the cam groove239A (see FIG. 29). In such rotating range of the arm plate 233A, theoscillating gear 235A is not engageable with either of the gears 246A or247A. At that time, the holder member 240 is rotatable and the rotationof the arm plate 233A is not controlled by the holder member 240. Also,due to the fact that the pin 245B on the arm plate 233B of theoscillating gear mechanism 229 in the lower stage is situated in thewide groove portion of the cam groove 238C (see FIG. 29), as describedbefore, the supply reel 209 can be rotated in the CW direction by theoscillating gear 235B or the take-up reel 204 can be rotated in the CCWdirection.

Next, if the cam plate 238 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 27to a position shown by a one-dot chained line and the pin 245A on thearm plate 233A arrives at the wide groove portion of the cam groove239A, then the rotating range of the the arm plate 233A will never becontrolled by the cam groove 239A (see FIG. 29). Also, at that time, theholder member 240 is rotated in the CCW direction by the stepped portion238E of the cam plate 238.

Here, if the gear 231A is rotated in the CCW direction by the reel motor227, then the arm plate 233A is also rotated in the CCW direction and isabutted against the stopper surface 240C of the holder member 240 (FIG.30) and the oscillating gear 235A comes into mesh with the gear 246A.After then, if the gear 231A is rotated in the CCW direction, then therotational drive force thereof is transmitted through oscillating gear235A and gear 246A to the gear 209A of the supply reel 209. In this way,the supply reel 209 is rotated in the CW direction. Similarly, if thegear 231A is rotated in the CW direction by the reel motor 227, then armplate 233A is also rotated in the CW direction and is abutted againstthe stopper 241 and the oscillating gear 235A comes into mesh with thegear 247A. After then, if the gear 231A is rotated in the CW direction,then the rotational drive force thereof is transmitted through theoscillating gear 235A and gear 247A to the gear 204C of the take-up reel204. In this way, the take-up reel 204 is rotated in the CCW direction.

As described above, by advancing and retreating the cam plate 238,either of the oscillating gear mechanism 228 in the upper stage or theoscillating gear mechanism 229 in the lower stage is made operable, sothat the rotational drive force in the CW direction can be transmittedfrom the reel motor 227 to the supply reel 209 and at the same time therotational drive force in the CCW direction can be transmitted to thetake-up reel 204.

Here, when compared with the oscillating gear mechanism 228 in the upperstage, the oscillating gear mechanism 229 in the lower stage can reducethe rotary speed down to ¼. And, when the film is scan fed, the supplyreel 209 or take-up reel 204 is driven through the oscillating gearmechanism 229 in the lower stage to feed the film at low speeds. On theother hand, in the winding, rewinding and frame feeding of the film, thesupply reel 209 or take-up reel 204 is driven through the oscillatinggear mechanism 228 in the upper stage to feed the film at high speeds.That is, as described before, since the reel motor 227 is able to changethe rotational speed on the order of 6 times and also is able to changethe gear ratio (1:4) by means of the upper-stage oscillating gearmechanism 228 and lower-stage oscillating gear mechanism 229, thefeeding speed of the film can be changed up to on the order of 22-23times.

Also, by advancing and retreating the cam plate 238, the oscillatinggear mechanism 228, as shown in FIG. 27, is fixed unoscillatable,whereby the rotational drive force in the CCW direction can betransmitted from the reel motor 227 through the oscillating gearmechanism 228 to the supply reel 209. That is, by rotating the supplyreel 209 in the CCW direction, the film 201 can be sent out from thefilm cartridge 202.

In FIG. 31, there is shown a holding mechanism 248 which can be used inplace of the holder member 240. In FIG. 31, the same parts as in FIG. 27are given the same designations. As shown in FIG. 31, the holdingmechanism 248 consists mainly of a lever 249 and a solenoid 250.

The lever 249 is disposed rotatable by means of a support shaft 249A andit is energized in the CCW direction by a spring 249B and, normally, itis retreated from the arm plate 233A as shown by a broken line. Thesolenoid 250 is driven when the film is sent out, and rotates the lever249 in the CW direction to a position shown by a solid line against theenergizing force of the spring 249B. By means of this, the arm plate233A is fixed at a position shown in FIG. 27 by the lever 249. Numeral251 designates a stopper. According to the above-mentioned holdingmechanism 248, the oscillating gear 235A can be fixed unoscillatable asoccasion demands and the supply reel 209 can be rotated in the CCWdirection, that is, in such a direction as can send out the film.

Cartridge Mounting Mechanism

FIGS. 32 and 33 are respectively front and plan views of main portionsof the present film image input system, illustrating mainly a cartridgemounting mechanism thereof, and FIG. 34 is a perspective view ofinteriors of a cartridge holder 203.

As illustrated in these figures, the cartridge mounting mechanismconsists mainly of the cartridge holder 203, a hold arm 257, an end facecam 258 and the like.

The cartridge holder 203 is constructed in such a manner that it can beopened and closed by a support shaft 203A. As shown in FIG. 23, when thecartridge holder 203 is opened and closed, the film cartridge 202 can beinserted into the film cartridge holder 203 and also the film cartridge202 can be taken out from the cartridge holder 203.

The cartridge holder 203, as shown in FIG. 34, includes a storageportion 252 which is used to store the film cartridge 202. In the bottomportion of the storage portion 252, there is formed an opening 252A intowhich a head portion 209B (FIG. 32) of the supply reel 209 can beinserted and also there is provided a push-up pin 254 which can bepushed up by a coil spring 253. The push-up pin 254, prior to mountingof a spool 202A of the film cartridge 202 into a head portion 209B ofthe supply reel 209, floats the film cartridge 202 a given amount withinthe storage portion 252 in order for the film cartridge 202 not tointerfere with the supply reel 209.

Also, in the side portion of the storage portion 252, there is provideda cartridge detector which comprises a cartridge detect lever 255 and amicroswitch 256. If the film cartridge 202 is stored in the storageportion 252, then the leading end of the cartridge detect lever 255comes into contact with the film cartridge 202. Due to such contact, thecartridge detect lever 255 is rotated about a support shaft 255A in theCCW direction in FIG. 34, and the trailing end of the lever is pressedagainst a plunger of the microswitch 256 to thereby turn on themicroswitch 256. For this reason, the presence and absence of the filmcartridge 202 can be detected by confirming the on/off of themicroswitch 256.

The hold arm 257, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, is disposed rotatable bymeans of a support shaft 257A and is also energized in the CW directionin FIG. 32 by a coil spring 257B (FIG. 33). In the leading end of thehold arm 257 there is provided a spool hold member 259 which is freelyrotatable. The spool hold member 259 serves as a hold shaft which holdsthe upper end side of the spool 202A of the film cartridge 202 in afreely rotatable manner and also serves as a press member for pressingagainst the film cartridge 202 so that the lower end side of the spool202A of the film cartridge 202 can be loaded into the head portion 209Bof the supply reel 209.

The end face cam 258 is used to rotate the hold arm 257 by means of apin 260, and includes a cam surface which, as shown in FIG. 32, hasheights H1, H2, and H3 in three stages. On the periphery of the end facecam 258, in part, there is provided a gear 258A which is adapted to beable to mesh with a gear 283B of a groove cam 283 (FIG. 38) to bediscussed later. Therefore, the end face cam 258 can be rotatedaccording to the rotational positions of the groove cam 283 to rotatethe hold arm 257 according to the heights of the end face contacted bythe pin 260.

Next, description will be given below of the operation of the cartridgemounting mechanism constructed in the above-mentioned manner.

At first, as shown in FIG. 34, the film cartridge 202 is inserted intothe storage portion 252 of the cartridge holder 203. At the then time,the film cartridge 202 is being floated a given amount within thestorage portion 252 by means of the push-up pin 254.

Then, the cartridge holder 203 is turned from its open state shown by atwo-dot chained line in FIG. 32 into its closed state shown by a solidline in FIG. 32. It should be noted here that, when the cartridge ismounted, the end face cam 258 is previously rotated so that the lowerend of the pin 260 is situated at the end face height H2.

After then, the end face cam 258 is rotated in the CCW direction in FIG.33 so that the lower end of the pin 260 is moved to the end face HI fromthe end face H2. As a result of this, the hold arm 257 is rotated to aposition shown by a two-dot chained line in FIG. 32 by the energizingforce of the coil spring 257B, during which rotation the spool holdmember 259 pushes down the film cartridge 202 to thereby load the lowerend side of the spool 202A into the head portion 209B of the supply reel209. It should be noted here that the head portion 209B, as shown inFIG. 24, is energized in a projecting direction by the spring 209C,thereby allowing the lower end side of the spool 202A to be positivelyloaded into the head portion 209B of the supply reel 209.

In FIG. 35, there is shown another embodiment of a cartridge mountingmechanism according to the invention. In FIG. 35, the same parts as inFIG. 32 are given the same designations.

While the cartridge mounting mechanism illustrated in FIG. 32 and otherfigures is structured in such a manner that the cartridge holder 203 canbe opened and closed by means of the support shaft 203A, the cartridgemounting mechanism shown in FIG. 35 is different from theabove-mentioned cartridge mounting mechanism in that a cartridge holder261 can be moved parallel as shown by a two-dot chained line.

When the film cartridge 202 is mounted into the cartridge mountingportion by use of the present cartridge mounting mechanism, after thefilm cartridge 202 is stored in the cartridge holder 261, the cartridgeholder 261 is manually or electrically moved parallel from a positionshown by a two-dot chained line to a position shown by a solid line, andafter then the film cartridge 202 is pushed into the supply reel 209 inthe axial direction thereof by use of a hold arm 257.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, description has been given of a filmcartridge mounting mechanisms each having a single spool. However, thisis not limitative, but a cartridge mounting mechanism having two spoolscan also be constructed almost similarly to the above-mentionedcartridge mounting mechanisms. In this case, two hold members arenecessary so as to be able to correspond to the two spools, and thetake-up reel has a similar structure to the supply reel.

Holder Lock Mechanism

In FIG. 36, there is shown a section view taken along the line 36—36 inFIG. 33. FIG. 36 illustrates mainly a holder lock mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 36, the holder lock mechanism is used to lock thecartridge holder 203 and consists mainly of a lock lever 262, a lever263, a lock removing member 264 and the like.

The lock lever 262 is disposed such that it is free to rotate by meansof a support shaft 262A and is energized in the CCW direction by a coilspring 265. The lock lever 262 includes a hook portion 262B forengagement with a lock pin 266 provided on the side portion of thecartridge holder 203, a curved portion 262C for contact with the leadingend portion 263B of the lever 263, a curved portion 262D for contactwith a curved portion 264A provided in the lower end portion of the lockremoving member 264, and a lever portion 262E for turning on/off amicroswitch 267. Here, numeral 268 designates a stopper of the locklever 262.

The lever 263 is disposed such that it is free to rotate by means of asupport shaft 263A and is energized in the CCW direction by a torsionspring 269. Also, the lock removing member 264 is provided integrally inthe hold arm 257.

Next, description will be given below of the operation of the holderlock mechanism constructed in the above-mentioned manner.

In FIG. 36, there is shown a state of the holder lock mechanism in whichit is locking the cartridge holder 203, with the hook portion 262B ofthe lock lever 262 in engagement with the lock pin 266.

In order to remove the cartridge holder from the locked state by theholder lock mechanism, as shown in FIG. 32, the end face cam 258 isrotated so that the lower end of the pin 260 is situated at the end faceheight H3 and the hold arm 257 is lifted up to a position shown by asolid line. Due to this, the lock removing member 264 integral with thehold arm 257 is also lifted upwardly in FIG. 36 and is thus brought intocontact with the curved portion 262D of the lock lever 262, therebyrotating the lock lever 262 in the CW direction against the energizingforce of the coil spring 265. When the lock lever 262 is rotated in theCW direction, then the hook portion 262B of the lock lever 262 isdisconnected from the lock pin 266 to remove the locking of thecartridge holder 203, so that the cartridge holder 203 is automaticallyopened by a spring (not shown).

Also, when the lock lever 262 is rotated in the CW direction, then thelever 263 becomes rotatable and is then rotated in such a manner thatthe leading end 263B thereof is moved to a position above the curvedportion 262C of the lock lever 262.

In this state, the end face cam 258 is rotated so that the lower end ofthe pin 260 is moved from the end face height H3 to the end face heightH2 (FIG. 32). Due to this, while the curved portion 264A of the lockremoving member 264 is separated apart from the curved portion 262D ofthe lock lever 262, the other curved portion 262C of the lock lever 262is brought into contact with the leading end 263B of the lever 263. Forthis reason, the rotational movement of the lock lever 262 by the coilspring 265 in the CCW direction is stopped. Also, at that time, thelever portion 262E is separated apart from the plunger of themicroswitch 267, thereby turning off the microswitch 267.

On the other hand, in the above state, if the cartridge holder 203 isclosed, then the lock pin 266 pushes down the hook portion 262B of thelock lever 262 and after then moves the lever 263 in the CW direction.This removes the engagement between the curved portion 262C of the locklever 262 and the leading end portion 263B of the lever 263 to therebyrotate the lock lever 262 in the CCW direction, so that the hook portion262B of the lock lever 262 is engaged with the lock pin 266, as shown inFIG. 36.

Also, at that time, the lever portion 262E of the lock lever 262 pressesagainst the plunger of the microswitch 267 to thereby turn on themicroswitch 267. That is, it is possible to detect the opening andclosing of the cartridge holder 203 by means of the on/off of themicroswitch 267.

Various Detectors Used in the Fourth Embodiment

Various detectors used in the fourth embodiment include not only thecartridge detectors (cartridge detect lever 256, microswitch 257) shownin FIG. 34 and the holder lock detectors (lever portion 262E,microswitch 267) shown in FIG. 36, but also a frame detector, a filmleading end detector, a film trailing end detector and a scan positiondetector.

As shown in FIG. 36, the frame detector comprises a detect lever 270 anda microswitch 271, the film leading end detector comprises a detectlever 272 and a microswitch 273, and the film trailing end detectorcomprises a detect lever 274 and a microswitch 275. The detect levers270 and 274 are respectively disposed to be contactable with the upperend of the film, while the detect lever 272 is disposed to becontactable with the lower end of the film.

When it falls into the notch 124A (FIG. 10) provided in each of theframes of the film, the detect lever 270 of the frame detector isrotated in the CW direction in FIG. 36 to turn the microswitch 271 fromon to off. That is, the time when the microswitch 271 is switched fromon to off is a frame detect time.

The detect lever 272 of the film leading end detector is rotated in theCW direction by the stepped portion of the cutaway portion 124B (FIG.10) formed in the leading end of the film when the film is sent out,thereby turn the microswitch 273 from off to on. That is, the time whenthe microswitch 273 is turned from off to on is a film leading enddetect time. When the film leading end is detected, the film leading endhas been sent out to a position to allow winding of the film round thetake-up shaft 204A.

The detect lever 274 of the film trailing end detector is rotated in theCW direction by the stepped portion of the cutaway portion 124C (FIG.10) formed in the trailing end portion of the film to thereby turn themicroswitch 275 from on to off. That is, the time when the microswitch275 is turned from on to off is a film trailing end detect time.However, the microswitch 275 is arranged in such a manner that, even ifthe detect lever 274 falls into the notch 124A shallower than thecutaway portion 124C, the microswitch 275 cannot be turned off.

Also, the scan position detector, as shown in FIG. 37, consists mainlyof an arm plate 276, a roller 277, a slit plate 279, a photo interrupter280, and a counter 281.

The arm plate 276 is disposed to be freely rotatable by means of asupport shaft 276A and the roller 277 provided on the leading end of thearm plate 276 is energized by a spring 282 so that it is brought intocontact with the take-up shaft 204A or with the film taken up round thetake-up shaft 204A. On the outer peripheries of the roller 277, a rubber277A is mounted and a gear 277B is also provided, and if the take-upshaft 204A is rotated, then the rotational drive force thereof istransmitted through the rubber 277A to the roller 277. In turn, therotational drive force of the roller 277 is transmitted through thegears 277B, 278B, 278A to a gear 279A coaxial with the slit plate 279 tothereby rotate the slit plate 279. The rotational speed of the slitplate 279 is greatly increased over the rotational speed of the roller277.

The slit plate 279 opens and closes the optical path of the photointerrupter 280 by means of its concave and convex portions and thephoto interrupter 280 outputs an electric signal according to theopening and closing of the optical path thereof (namely, a signal of thenumber of pulses corresponding to the number of concave and convexportions to be passed).

The counter 281 is used to count the pulse signals applied from thephoto interrupter 280 and the count value of the counter 281 is reset to0 when the frame detection by the above-mentioned frame detector isexecuted. That is, the scan position of the film from the framedetection position (a frame reference position) can be detected by thecount value of the counter 281.

Mode Select Mechanism and Reel Brake

In FIG. 38, there are shown the main portions of a mode select mechanismand reel brake brakes. The mode select is used to select properly aneject mode, a wait mode, a film send-out mode, a film fast feed mode, afilm rewind mode, a frame feed mode, and a scan feed mode.

As shown in FIG. 38, there is interposed a groove cam 283 between thesupply reel 209 and take-up reel 204. The groove cam 283 includes a camgroove 284 on the bottom surface thereof and cam surfaces 285 and 286respectively in upper and lower stages in the upper portion thereof.

A rotational drive force is transmitted from a mode motor (not shown)through gears 289, 283A to the groove cam 283, so that the groove cam283 is rotated to the rotational position thereof corresponding to themode properly selected. The gear 289 includes a brush on the lowersurface thereof and a code plate 290 is disposed at a position opposedto the gear 289. And, The position of the brush of the gear 289, thatis, the rotational positions of the groove cam 283 corresponding to therespective modes can be detected in accordance with the terminal outputsof the code plate 290.

The gear 258A of the end face cam 258 is in mesh with a gear 283B formedin the groove cam 283 and, only when the groove cam 283 is in a givenrotating range (from 0° to 90°), the rotational drive force of thegroove cam 283 is transmitted to the end face cam 258 so that the endface cam 258 can be rotated.

Now, the groove cam 283 has a cam groove 238C in engagement with a pin238B provided in the cam plate 238 (FIG. 27). Thus, the groove cam 283can move the cam plate 238 according to the rotation thereof to therebythe oscillating ranges of the oscillating gear mechanisms 228, 229, asdescribed in connection with FIG. 27.

On the other hand, the reel brakes of the supply reel 209 and take-upreel 204 respectively consist mainly of brake arms 291, 292. Therotational positions of the brake arms 291, 292 are controlled by thecam surfaces 285, 286 of the groove cam 283, respectively. The brakearms 291, 292 apply soft brake and full brake to the supply reel 209 andtake-up reel 204 and also release such brakes.

In other words, the brake arm 291 is disposed to be freely rotatable bymeans of a support shaft 291A and includes a brake pad 291B mounted tothe leading end thereof and a projection 291C in the trailing endthereof, which projection 291C is engageable with the cam surface 285.Similarly, the brake arm 292 is disposed to be freely rotatable by meansof a support shaft 292A. The brake arm 292 includes a brake pad 292Bmounted to the leading end thereof and also includes in the trailing endthereof a projection 292C which is engageable with the cam surface 286.These brake arms 291 and 292 are respectively pulled toward each otherby means of a coil spring 293 and the projections 291C and 292C arenormally in contact with the cam surfaces 285 and 286, respectively. Thebrake pads 291B and 292B are respectively contactable with rubbers 209Dand 204D (FIG. 24) respectively mounted to the supply reel 209 andtake-up reel 204.

Also, the cam surfaces 285 and 286 respectively include recessedportions in two stages and differing in depth from each other. When theprojections 291C, 292C fall down into the shallow recessed portions,respectively, then the brake arms 291 and 292 respectively apply thesoft brake to the supply reel 209 and take-up reel 204 and, when theprojections fall down into the deep recessed portions, then the brakearms 291 and 292 apply the full brake to the supply reel 209 and take-upreel 204, respectively.

Next, description will be given below in detail of the operation of themode select mechanism constructed in the above-mentioned manner withreference to FIG. 39 in which there is shown a diagrammatic view of thegroove cam 283.

A state shown in FIG. 38 provides the eject mode. If the groove cam 283is rotated 30°, 90°, 150°, 170°, 190°, 210°, and 230° sequentially inthe CW direction from the state (0°) shown in FIG. 38, then the pin 238Bof the cam plate 238 is moved from the position P1 of the cam groove 284to positions P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, and P8 sequentially. Here, P2designates a wait position, P3 a film send-out mode position, P4 a filmfast feed mode position (+frame feed mode position), P5 a scan feed mode(+X scan) position, P6 a stop position, P7 a scan feed mode (−X scan)position, and P8 a film rewind mode position (−frame feed modeposition).

In other words, in the eject mode (P1), as described in connection withFIG. 32, the lower end of the pin 260 is situated at the end face heightH3 of the end face cam 258 and the hold arm 257 is pushed up to the endof rotation in the CCW direction. As a result of this, the locking ofthe cartridge holder 203 can be removed by the lock removing member 264formed integrally with the hold arm 257 (see FIG. 36).

In the wait position (P2), the end face cam 258 is rotated in such amanner that the lower end of the pin 260 is moved from the end faceheight H3 to H2 (FIG. 32). As a result of this, as described before, thecartridge holder 203, which has been unlocked in the eject mode, can belocked.

In the film send-out mode (P3), the end face cam 258 is rotated so thatthe lower end of the pin 260 is moved from the end face height H2 to H1.Consequently, the hold arm 257 pushes down the film cartridge 202through the spool holding member 259 and the lower end side of the spool202A is loaded into the head portion 209B of the supply reel 209 (FIG.32).

On the other hand, in the film send-out mode (P3), the cam plate 238 ismoved by the groove cam 283 to a position shown in FIG. 27. As a resultof this, as described before, the oscillating gear mechanism 228 ismoved to a position shown in FIG. 27 and is also fixed unoscillatable bythe hold member 240. That is, the supply reel 209 can be rotated in theCCW direction (film send-out direction) by the reel motor 227 throughthe oscillating gear mechanism 228. It should be noted here that thesending-out of the film can be executed only when the film cartridge 202is inserted into the cartridge holder 203 and also the cartridge holder203 is locked. Also, when the film leading end detector is turned fromoff to on during the film sending-out operation, then the sending-out ofthe film is completed.

In the film fast feed mode (P4), the cam plate 238 is moved by thegroove cam 283 to a position shown by a two-dot chained line in FIG. 27.Consequently, the oscillating gear mechanism 228 is moved in such amanner that the oscillating gear 235A is able to mesh with the gear 246Aor 247A in accordance with the direction of rotation of the reel motor227, so that the supply reel 209 can be rotated in the CW direction athigh speeds or the take-up reel 204 can be rotated in the CCW directionat high speeds.

Also, in the film fast feed mode (P4), the supply reel 209 and take-upreel 204 are respectively given soft brake by the brake arms 291 and292. The reason why the soft brake is given to the take-up reel 204besides the supply reel 209 is to prevent the winding of the film frombeing loosened when the oscillating gear mechanism 228 is oscillated.

Here, as shown in FIG. 39, in order that the soft brake can be appliedwhen the angle of rotation of the groove cam 283 is in the rotationalrange of 140° to 175° and in the rotational range of 205° to 240° and inorder that the full brake can be applied when the angle of rotation ofthe groove cam 283 is in the rotational range of 175° to 205°, there areformed cam surfaces 285 and 286 for braking. Also, the film is fed inthe fast feed mode as well when the film is frame fed in the forwarddirection, but, in the frame feeding, if the next frame is detected bythe frame detector, then the feeding is stopped immediately.

In the scan feed mode (+X scan) (P5), the cam plate 238 is moved by thegroove cam 283 to a position situated substantially centrally between aposition shown by a solid line and a position shown by a two-dot chainedline in FIG. 27. As a result of this, the oscillating gear mechanism 229is moved in such a manner that the oscillating gear 235B is able to meshwith the gear 246B or 247B according to the direction of rotation of thereel motor 227, so that the supply reel 209 can be rotated in the CWdirection at low speeds or the take-up reel 204 can be rotated in theCCW direction at low speeds. Also, similarly as in the film fast feedmode, both of the supply reel 209 and take-up reel 204 can be given thesoft brake.

In the stop position (P6), both of the supply reel 209 and take-up reel204 are given the full brake.

In the scan feed mode (−X scan) (P7), the cam plate 238 is moved to thesame position as in the scan mode (+X scan) (P5) and the supply reel 209and take-up reel 204 are both given the soft brake. In the film rewindmode (P8), the cam plate 238 is moved to the same position as in thefilm fast feed mode (P4) and the supply reel 209 and take-up reel 204are both given the soft brake.

Frame Feed Control and Film Send-out Speed Control

The frame feeding of the film in the forward or reverse direction, asshown in FIG. 40, is executed by feeding the film in the forward orreverse direction until the frame detector consisting of the detectlever 270 and microswitch 271 detects the notch formed in the film (thatis, until the detect lever 270 falls into the notch and the microswitch271 turns from on to off). It should be noted here that, just after theframe feeding, the optical axis of the taking lens is situated at thecenter of the frame.

On the other hand, after the frame feeding, the X-direction scan isperformed by feeding the film, and the X-direction scan range is thegreatest film moving range in which the smallest zoom area 300 does notexceed the left end or right end of the frame. In FIG. 40, there isshown a case in which the film is moved in the reverse direction (thatis, −X scanned) and the smallest zoom area 300 is situated at the leftend of the frame. Assuming that the then distance between the scanposition and the center of the frame is expressed as n and a widthone-half the smallest zoom area 300 is expressed as α, then the maximumvalue of n+α represents a width one-half 1 frame.

Here, if the frame feeding is executed in the forward direction from thescan position shown in FIG. 40, then the frame detector detects thenotch of the same frame again and thus the same frame is reproducedagain, so that the next frame cannot be reproduced.

In FIG. 41, there is shown a block diagram of a frame feeding controldevice which aims at eliminating the above-mentioned problems. The framefeeding control device consists mainly of a frame detector, a scanposition detector, and a control part 301.

To the control part 301 are being applied a frame detect signal from themicroswitch 271 and a scan position signal (count value (X)) from thecounter 281 of the scan position detector (see FIG. 37). When the framedetect signal is input, then the control part 301 resets the count valueof the counter 281 to 0.

The control part 301, after it initiates the reel motor 227, checks thenext frame in accordance with the count value (X) of the counter 281 andthe frame detect signal from the frame detector and then stops the reelmotor 227.

Next, description will be given below of the operation of theabove-mentioned control part 301 with reference to a flow chart shown inFIG. 42.

At first, the reel motor 227 is initiated in order to execute the framefeeding, and the count value (X) is input from the counter 281 of thescan position detector (Steps 303, 304). Then, it is checked whether theabsolute value |X| of the count value (X) input is greater than n+α,that is, |X|>n+α or not (Step 305). If |X|>n+α is not satisfied, thenthe count value (X) is input again after a minute time, and the checkingoperation is executed repeatedly until |X|>n+α is satisfied.

After |X|>n+α is satisfied, it is checked whether the frame detector hasdetected a frame or not (whether a frame detect signal has been inputfrom the microswitch 271 or not) (Step 306). In other words, until|X|>n+α is satisfied, the presence/absence of input of the frame detectsignal from the frame detector is ignored, and after |X|>n+α issatisfied, the presence/absence of input of the frame detect signal fromthe frame detector is checked. In this manner, after |X|>n+α issatisfied, the frame detect signal that is first input can be obtainedat the time when the detect lever 270 falls down into the notch of thenext frame.

If the frame is detected by the frame detector in Step 306, then thecount value (X) of the counter 281 is immediately reset to 0 and at thesame time the reel motor 227 is stopped to end the frame feeding (Steps307, 308).

Referring now to FIG. 43, there is shown a flow chart of anotherembodiment of the frame feeding control of the invention. As shown inFIG. 43, at first, the reel motor 227 is started in order to feed theframe and at the same time the count value (X) is input from the counter281 of the scan position detector (Steps 309, 310). And, the count value(X) input is checked, that is, whether X=0 or not is checked (Step 311).

If X=0, then the detect lever 270 has fallen into the notch and thus, inthis case, the program advances to Step 315. In Step 315, after startingof the frame feeding, it is checked whether the notch has been detectedonce or not. If the notch has been detected once, then the reel motor227 is stopped to terminate the frame feeding (Step 317).

If not X=0, then whether X>0 or not is checked (Step 312). If X>0, thenit is checked whether the frame feeding is in the forward direction ornot (Step 313). If the frame feeding is in the forward direction, then,after the notch is detected once in Step 315, the reel motor 227 isstopped to terminate the frame feeding (Step 317). If the frame feedingis in the reverse direction, then the program advances to Step 316. InStep 316, after starting of the frame feeding, it is checked whether thenotch is detected twice or not. If detected twice, then the reel motor227 is stopped to terminate the frame feeding (Step 317).

On the other hand, if it is found in Step 312 that X>0 is not obtained,then it is checked whether the frame feeding is in the forward directiondr not (Step 314). If in the forward direction, then the notch isdetected twice in Step 316 and after then the reel motor 227 is stoppedto terminate the frame feeding (Step 317). If the frame feeding is inthe reverse direction, then the notch is detected once in Step 315 andafter then the reel motor 227 to terminate the frame feeding (Step 317).

The method for controlling the feeding of the frames of the film is notlimited to the above-mentioned method. For example, when the film ismoved from the frame detect position to a position in the forwarddirection and the frame is fed in the reverse direction, and when thefilm is moved from the frame detect position to a position in thereverse direction and the frame is fed in the forward direction, theframe detect signal from the frame detector may be received at aposition where the count value (X) of the scan position detector becomes0, that is, X=0, or after the film is moved a given amount from theposition of X=0. That is, in these cases, the frame detect signal fromthe frame detector is ignored until the film is moved back to thereference position (X=0), in order to prevent the frame detector fromdetecting the same frame again.

Next, description will be given below of a case in which the filmfeeding speed is controlled to a constant level.

As discussed with reference to FIG. 9, the film informationrecording/reproducing part 144 records the film information (such as thezoom information, scan position information, CCD rotation informationand the like) on to the magnetic recording surface or the like of eachframe in accordance with the signal from the control part 132 and alsoreads out the film information from the film and outputs the filminformation to the control part 132, so that automatic reproduction canbe executed in accordance with the film information. In order to recordthe film information on to the magnetic recording surface of the film124 and also reproduce the film information from the magnetic recordingsurface of the film 124, it is necessary to control the film feedingspeed in recording and reproducing to a constant level. On the otherhand, If the winding speed of the take-up reel 204 is controlled to aconstant level, then the film feeding speed is varied according to thediameters of the winding, that is, the film feeding speed is slow at thestarting of the feeding and the film feeding speed becomes higher as thefilm comes near the end thereof.

In FIG. 44, there is shown a block diagram of a film feeding speedcontrol device developed to solve the above-mentioned problem. The filmfeeding speed control device consists mainly of a frame detector, aframe number operation part 318A, and a control part 318B.

The frame number operation part 318A is arranged such that a framedetect signal is applied thereto from the microswitch 271 of the framedetector. The frame number operation part 318A calculates the framenumber of the currently reproduced film image in accordance with theframe detect signal applied from the microswitch 271. That is, the framenumber operation part 318A is a counter to count the frame detectsignal. In particular, the counter resets the count value to 0 if thebeginning of the film is detected, after then if the frame detect signalis input while the film is being fed in the forward direction (+Xdirection), then counts up the count value, and if the frame detectsignal is input while the film is being fed in the reverse direction (−Xdirection), then counts down the count value.

A count value (a value representing the number of the frames of thefilm) is being applied from the frame number operation part 318A to thecontrol part 318B. In order to control the film feeding speed to aconstant level, as shown in FIG. 45, the control part 318B outputs tothe reel motor 227 a drive voltage corresponding to the film framenumber being currently wound to thereby rotate the take-up shaft 204A.That is, since the thickness of the film is constant, the film windingdiameter round the take-up shaft 204A has a given relationship withrespect to the frame number and thus the currently winding diameter canbe imagined from the frame number. For this reason, the control part318B finds the drive voltage of the reel motor 227 from the currentframe number in accordance with a table or an equation as to the framenumber and the drive voltage having such a relationship therebetween asshown in FIG. 45 and then outputs the thus found drive voltage to thereel motor 227, so as to be able to control the film feeding speed to aconstant level.

Alternatively, in stead of the frame number, the number of perforationsfrom the beginning of the film may be counted and the drive voltage tobe applied to the reel motor 227 may be controlled according to thenumber of the perforations counted.

Also, the film winding diameter may be detected directly by use of filmwinding diameter detect means and the drive voltage to be applied to thereel motor 227 may be controlled according to the film winding diameterdetected. This film winding diameter detect means may be composed of,for example, an angle detect means which can be used to detect the angleof rotation of the arm plate 276 of the scan position detector shown inFIG. 37.

Search Mode

In FIG. 46, there is shown a flow chart illustrating a search mode.Here, a search mode is a mode in which the film is fed at similar speedsto the film feeding speeds in the film rewinding or film fast feedingmode, but the film feeding can be stopped for a given period of time atevery frame to thereby be able to select a desired film image quickly.

After the search mode is selected by select means (not shown), the filmfeeding is executed in the search mode while a fast feeding switch SW-FFor a rewinding switch SW-REW is being depressed.

Now, when the search mode is selected once, then the frame feedingdirection is checked as shown in FIG. 46 (Step 319A). In other words,when the fast feeding switch SW-FF is pressed down, then the framefeeding direction is decided as the forward direction and when therewinding switch SW-REW is pressed down, then the frame feedingdirection is decided as the reverse direction (Steps 319B, 319C). And,it is checked whether the frame is to be fed in the decide direction ornot (Step 319D). For example, when the frame being currently detected isthe final frame and the frame feeding direction is the forwarddirection, or when the frame being currently detected is the first frameand the frame feeding direction is the reverse direction, the filmcannot be moved forth or back to the next frame. For this reason, insuch a case, a limit display is displayed and after then the programgoes back to the start (Steps 319E, 319F).

On the other hand, when the film can be moved to the next frame, thenthe control on the zoom lens side is started so as to be able to providea standard reproducing state (Step 319G), at the same time the groovecam 283 is moved to the film fast feeding mode position P4 or to thefilm rewinding mode position P8 according to the frame feedingdirections (Step 319H), where the program waits until the photographingmagnification of the zoom lens becomes a standard magnification (Step319I). When the photographing magnification of the zoom lens becomes thestandard magnification, then the reel motor is rotated (Step 319J) andafter the elapse of time of 400 ms (Step 319K) the frame detection bythe frame detector is enabled, then waiting for the next frame to bedetected (Step 319L). The reason why the frame detection by the framedetector is enabled after waiting in 400 ms from the starting ofrotation of the reel motor is to prevent the same frame from beingdetected again.

And, if the next frame is detected, then a reverse brake is applied tothe reel motor (Step 319M) and the frame number is updated and displayed(Step 319N).

Next, the key scan is performed (Step 319P). If it is found in Step 319Qthat any one of the stop switch SW-STOP, +X scan switch SW-FWD, −X scanswitch SW-REV is turned on, or that none of these switches is turned on,then the program advances to Step 319V, where the groove cam 283 ismoved to a stop position P6, and after then the program moves back tothe first state (Step 319W).

On the other hand, if it: is found in Step 319Q that the fast feedingswitch SW-FF or rewind switch SW-REW is turned on, and further if it isfound in Step 319R that the switch in the same direction is continuouslyturned on, then it is checked whether a give period of time has passedor not since the reel motor was stopped (Step 319S).

Here, the above-mentioned given period of time is the stop time of thereel motor which can be selected properly from a range of 0.1 sec. to0.5 sec. That is, when the stop time is shorter than 0.1 sec., it isdifficult to confirm visually what image is the film image beingreproduced on the video monitor and, when the stop time is longer than0.5 sec., the search time becomes too long. This is why the stop time inthe above-mentioned range is set.

Now, if it is found in Step 319S that the given time has not passed,then the processings in Step 319P to Step 319S are executed repeatedlyuntil the given time has passed, and if the given time has passed, thenthe program advances to Step 319T. In Step 319T, similarly to Step 319Ddiscussed before, it is checked whether the film can moved to the nextframe or not. If it is found that the film can be moved to the nextframe, then the program moves back to Step 319J, in which the reel motoris rotated again to thereby feed the frame, as discussed before. On theother hand, if it is found that the film cannot be moved, then the limitdisplay is displayed (Step 319U) and after then the program advances toStep 319V, in which the groove cam 283 is moved to the stop position P6.After then, the program moves back to the start state (Step 319W).

Negative/Positive Switching Control

Now, in FIG. 47, there is shown an embodiment of a negative/positiveswitching control device. In this figure, parts used in common with FIG.11 are given the same reference characters respectively and the detaileddescription thereof is omitted here.

In FIG. 47, the negative/positive switching control device consistsmainly of light projecting means 320, light receiving means 321, anegative/positive decision part 322 and an image signal process circuit323.

The light projecting means 320, as shown in FIG. 48, is composed of alight source 320A and a condensing lens 320B, while the light receivingmeans 321 is composed of a pin hole 321A and a photo multiplier 321B.The pin hole 321A, as shown in FIG. 49 which is a section view takenalong the line 49—49 in FIG. 48, has an opening 321C to allow the lightfrom the light projecting means 320 to pass through the film edgeoutside the film perforation, and guides the light passing through theopening 321C to the photo multiplier 321B.

The photo multiplier 321B has a sensitivity in a visible area andoutputs to the negative/positive decision part 322 a voltage signalcorresponding to the amount of light passing through the film edge andentering the photo multiplier 321B.

The negative/positive decision part 322 comprises a comparator whichcompares the voltage signal input thereto and a threshold value servingas a reference for negative/positive decision. When the voltage signalis greater than the threshold value, the decision part 322 outputs ahigh level signal indicating a negative film, while when the voltagesignal is smaller than the threshold value, it outputs a low levelsignal indicating a positive film.

In other words, the negative film has an opaque and orange film edgeportion and the amount of the light passing through the opaque andorange film edge and entering the photo multiplier 321B is large, sothat the output voltage of the photo multiplier 321B is greater than theabove-mentioned threshold. On the other hand, the positive film has ablack film edge portion and the amount of the light passing through theblack film edge portion and entering the photo multiplier 321B is small,so that the output voltage of the photo multiplier 321B is smaller thanthe threshold.

The image signal process circuit 323 has a function of performing anegative image processing on an image signal applied from the CCD 116and a function of performing a positive image processing on the imagesignal. If a signal (a high level signal) indicating that the film beingcurrently photographed is a negative film is input from thenegative/positive decision part 322, then the circuit 323 executesautomatically the negative image processing on the image signal appliedfrom the CCD 116. If a signal (a low level signal) indicating a positivefilm, then the circuit 323 executes automatically the positive imageprocessing on the image signal applied form the CCD 116. The imagesignal that has been image processed is then output to the video monitor119 and the image is reproduced as a normal image, whether the currentlyphotographed film is negative or positive.

In FIG. 50, there is shown another embodiments of the light projectingmeans 320 and light receiving means 321. That is, in FIG. 50, as thelight projecting means, a GaP light emitting diode (GaP-LED) 324 isused, while a silicone photo diode (SPD) 325 is used as the lightreceiving means. Here, GaP-LED 324 has a light emitting wavelength of560 nm, while SPD 325 has a spectral characteristic of 320 nm-730 nm(peak 560±20 nm).

The light from GaP-LED passes through the film edge portion outside ofthe film perforations and then enters SPD 325. Also, When the film edgeportion includes a through portion (a notch for frame detection) thethrough portion is situated on the optical pass, the light from GaP-LED324 is allowed to pass through the through portion and then enter SPD325.

Now, Table 1 shows densities, ratios of the amounts of the light passedand the output voltages of SPD 325 when the through portion, thenegative film and the positive film are positioned on the optical pathof GaP-LED 324 and SPD 325.

TABLE 1 Through Portion Nega. Film Posi. Film Density 0 About 0.6 About2 Transmission 100 25 1 Light Amount Ratio SPD 325 10 V 2.5 V 0.1 V

As shown in Table 1, in accordance with the output voltage of the SPD325, the negative and positive films can be discriminated from eachother as well as the through portion can be detected (that is, the framecan be detected). It is sure that SPD 325 has a temperature dependency,but if the output of the through portion is used to correct the outputvoltage, then the problem raised by the temperature dependency of SPD325 can be solved.

Also, FIG. 51(A) shows a perspective view of a film cartridge which hastwo spools (two shafts), and FIG. 51(B) shows a perspective view of afilm cartridge having one spool (one shaft). In either of them, it ispossible to check from the difference between the shapes of the filmcartridge whether a film stored in the film cartridge is a negative filmor a positive film.

For example, there is formed one notch in the film cartridge in which anegative film is stored, as shown in FIG. 52(A), and there are formedtwo notches in the film cartridge in which a positive film is stored, asshown in FIG. 52(B), while there are provided in the cartridge mountingportion two switches which are used to detect the presence or absence ofthe notch. And, when the film cartridge is mounted into the cartridgemounting portion, if the two switches detect the presence of the notchrespectively, then the film stored is decided as a positive film, and ifonly of the two switches detects the presence of the notch, then thefilm stored is decided as a negative film.

Control of Image Output to Video Monitor

In FIG. 53, there is shown a block diagram of an embodiment of a controldevice for controlling the output of an image to the video monitor. Inthis figure, parts used in common with FIG. 9 are given the samereference characters and the detailed description is omitted here.

In FIG. 53, the image output control device to the video monitor is usedto output a preset image to the video monitor 119 when the film 124 isnot set in the photographing area of the taking lens 114. The imageoutput control device consists mainly of a film detect part 326, acontrol part 327, a set image memory 328, and a switching part 329.

The film detect part 326 is used to detect whether the film 124 is setin the photographing area of the taking lens 114. For the film detectpart 326, for example, the film leading end detector and/or filmtrailing end detector shown in FIG. 36 can be used. That is, if eitherof the microswitches 273 and 275 of the film leading end detector andfilm trailing end detector is turned on or both of them are turned on,then it is possible to detect that the film 124 is set in thephotographing area of the taking lens 114.

A signal output from the film detect part 326 and indicating thepresence or absence of the film is applied to the control part 327. Thecontrol part 327 in turn performs various kinds of control as discussedwith reference to FIG. 9 and also switches the switching part 329according to the presence or absence of the film. That is, when itreceives the signal indicating the presence or absence of the film fromthe film detect part 326, the control part 327 outputs a image signalfrom the set image memory 328 to the video monitor 119, in place of theimage signal from the image signal process circuit 117.

It should be noted here that in the set image memory 328 there have beenpreviously stored signals indicating set images clearly different fromthe film images, the set images including alarms (NO FILM and so on),logo marks, geometrical patterns, and an image entirely in a singlecolor (in a blue color or the like).

According to the image output control device structured in theabove-mentioned manner, when the film 124 is not set in thephotographing area of the taking lens 114, the set image is displayed onthe video monitor 119. For this reason, it is possible to checkimmediately from the image displayed on the video monitor 119 whetherthe film is set or not.

Film Fading Correction

To execute an automatic correction for fading of a negative film or apositive film, it is necessary to know the faded condition of the film.For this purpose, when the negative or positive film is manufactured, astandard pattern for fading correction is previously formed by printing.

As shown in FIG. 54, in the case of a 35 mm film, since the film edgeseach of 5 mm in both ends of the film are not exposed, the standardpattern 330 for fading correction is previously printed into the filmedges. As the standard pattern 330, a gradation pattern on the order of10 gradations of RGB is suitable. In FIG. 55, there is shown a standardpattern which is formed by printing one of RGB colors in 10 gradations.

In FIG. 56, there is shown a system in which the standard pattern 330for fading correction is fired in a film working process from a filmroll 342. As shown in FIG. 56, a film supplied from the film roll 342 isdivided into plural film sections each having a given width by use of aslitter 343 and perforations are then formed in the film sections by useof a perforator 344. After then, the frame number and theabove-mentioned fading correction standard pattern 330 are printed byuse of a printing drum 345.

In FIG. 57, there is shown a view of the details of the printing devicefor firing the above-mentioned fading correction standard pattern 330.The printing device comprises red, blue, green light emitting diodes D1,D2, D3, an expansion plate 346, and a gradation transmissive filter 347,and the printing device is disposed inside of the circular peripheriesof the drum 345. And, at the same time when the frame number is printed,the respective color emitting diodes D1, D2, D3 are allowed to emitcolors respectively, and the fading correction standard pattern 330 isprinted in the film edges through the expansion plate 346 and gradationtransmissive filter 347.

The film with the frame number and standard pattern 330 printed thereinis then wound round a cartridge 348 and, after wound a given amount, thefilm is then cut by a cutter 349.

Now, when reproducing the film image on the video monitor by means ofthe film image input system, by reading the standard pattern 330 andcomparing the read standard pattern 330 with data obtained when nofading is developed, the degree of the fading can be decided. And, bycorrecting the image signal according to the degree of fading, thefading correction can be achieved. In FIG. 55, the condition of thefading is shown by a dotted line. As shown in FIG. 55, the greater thedensity is, the greater the degree of fading is.

In FIG. 58, there is shown a block diagram of an embodiment of a filmfading correction device. As shown in FIG. 58, the fading correctiondevice consists mainly of a read part 331, a fading decision part 332,and a look-up table (LUT) 333.

The read part 331 reads the fading correction standard pattern 330previously printed in the film edge and then outputs data on thestandard pattern 330 read to the fading decision part 332. The fadingdecision part 332, which has the data obtained when no fading isdeveloped, compares the data with the data on the standard pattern 330input from the read part 331, and decides the degree of the fading inaccordance with the comparison results.

The look-up table (LUT) 333 has a plurality of correction tablescorresponding to the degrees of fading. In accordance with signalsindicating the respective degrees of fading of RGB applied thereto fromthe fading decision part 332, LUT 333 reads out the RGB correctiontables corresponding to the degrees of the fading and the outputs theRGB correction tables to γ correction circuits 334, 335, 336 respectiveprovided within the image signal process circuit.

The γ correction circuits 334, 335, 336 are respectively interposedbetween a white balance (WB) adjust circuit and a matrix and encodercircuit 341 within the image signal process circuit. The WB adjustcircuit comprises amplifiers 337, 338, 339 and a WB process part 340. Byadjusting the gains of the amplifiers 337 and 339 by use of the WBprocess part 340, the WB adjust circuit can take the white balance ofthe R signal, G signal and B signal.

The γ correction circuits 334, 335, 336, according to the RGB correctiontable from the above-mentioned LUT 333, execute γ correction as well asfading correction on the R signal, G signal, and B signal the whitebalances of which have been adjusted, respectively. That is, a γcorrection circuit normally enhances the sensitivity of intermediategradation signals as shown by a solid line in a graphical representationin FIG. 59, while the γ correction circuits 334, 335, 336, according tothe RGB correction table from the LUT 333, enhance the sensitivity ofsignals having a large density, for example, as shown by a two-dotchained line or a one-dot chained line in FIG. 59, thereby executing thefading correction as well at the same time (see FIG. 55).

Although in the present embodiment the fading correction is also made byuse of the γ correction circuits, the fading correction may be executedby a different correction circuit from the γ correction circuits.However, in this case, the γ correction components are not included inthe RGB correction table. Also, the standard pattern 330 for fadingcorrection may be printed in the excess space of the film when the filmis supplied for developing, that is, not limited to the time when thefilm is manufactured. in this case, there is obtained a merit that thelatent image of the standard pattern previously exposed are preventedfrom fading. Further, the area of the film in which the standard patternis branded is not limited to the edge of the film, but it may be the endportion of the film that is not drawn out from the cartridge as shown inFIG. 60.

As has been described heretofore, according to the film image inputsystem of the invention, by using a compact film cartridge which storesthe whole film wound round a single spool, a developed still photo filmcan be treated simply without damaging the same and the film image canbe reproduced on a video monitor by one-touch. Also, since the filmcartridge and the whole film can be disposed in one side of the filmimage input system, it is possible to expand the freedom of design onthe number, size and position of various mechanisms disposed in thecentral portion and the other side of the film image input system. Forthis reason, it is possible to design, with high freedom, film imageinput systems ranging from low-price systems to high-performancesystems.

As the high-performance system, by means of provision of a mechanismswhich allows starting of automatic film feeding at the same time when afilm cartridge is loaded, a mechanism for feeding the frames of the filmafter a given time during reproduction, a mechanism for automaticallyrewinding the film after completion of reproduction of all images, amechanism which allows automatic discharge of the film cartridge afterthe film is rewound, various mechanisms relating to magneticrecording/reproducing information, and other mechanisms, a substantiallycompletely automated film image input system can be realized. On theother hand, the low-price system can be realized by properly simplifyingthe above functions or by using a mechanism including a manual button orthe like. Also, the film cartridge can be mounted to a cartridgemounting portion simply and positively. Especially, due to the fact thatthe lower end portion of a spool disposed within the film cartridge isloaded into the head portion of a reel and also the upper end portion ofthe spool is rotatably held by a spool holding member, a relatively longspool can be held in an excellent way and the feeding of the film fromthe film cartridge can be executed smoothly. Further, because the filmcartridge is stored in such a manner that it is floated a given amountwithin the cartridge holder, there is eliminated the possibility thatthe film cartridge and the reel may interfere with each other when thecartridge holder is opened and closed.

Also, according to the invention, when a magnetically recordable andreproduceable film is used, there is eliminated the need to execute therepetitive film feeding in the forward and reverse direction, so thatthe magnetic recording and reproduction of the film can be executed whenthe frames of the film are fed, and the film feeding speed can be keptat a constant level by a simple structure for excellent magneticrecording and reproduction.

Further, according to the invention, due to the fact that a developedstill photo film is bent in an S shape or a Z shape and is guided byfilm guide members respectively disposed in the entrance and outletsides of an image pickup area, the film can be flattened without givinga great tension to the film and the taking lens can be focused over thewhole of one frame. Also, due to the fact that a developed still photofilm to be fed by film feeding means is guided by a guide roller whichcan contact at least the image surface of the film, there is eliminatedthe possibility that a striped damage may occur on the film during thefilm feeding. Further, since the guide means is disposed in such amanner that it extends from the film entrance and outlet opening of afilm storage part toward a take-up shaft, when the film is sent out fromthe film cartridge, the leading end of the film can be guided positivelyto the take-up side of the take-up shaft, thereby allowing automaticwinding of the film from the film cartridge. Moreover, due to the factthat, all the time while the film is being loaded between a supply reeland a take-up reel, braking is always given to the supply and take-upreels simultaneously, the film can be always maintained in a propertension to thereby prevent the film from being flexed or the reelagainst loosened winding. In particular, by applying soft braking to thereel side to be driven by reel drive means as well, the flexed film andloosened winding can be prevented even when the reel to be driven byoscillating gear mechanism or the like is switched. Also, when thefeeding of the film is stopped while the film is being loaded betweenthe supply and take-up reels, full brake is applied to the supply andtake-up reels, so that the flexed film and loosened winding can beprevented during the stop of the film feeding as well.

Moreover, according to the invention, because the repeated detection ofthe same frame by the frame detect means is nullified, the film can befed positively to the next frame irrespective of the scan position priorto the frame feeding. Also, the proper and selective use of twooscillating gear mechanisms having different reduction ratios from eachother enables the rotary speed of the supply or take-up reel to bechanged over a range changeable according to a voltage to be applied tothe reel motor. Due to this, the film feeding speed can be changed, forexample, on the order of 22-23 times and thus the film feeding rangingfrom the high speed film feeding necessary for the fast feeding of thefilm and the like to the low speed feeding necessary for the scanfeeding of the film image can be realized by a single motor. Further,since the supply reel can be rotated in the reverse direction as well byfixing the oscillating gear mechanism unrotatable, the film can be sentout from the film cartridge by use of the oscillating gear mechanism.

In addition, according to the invention, due to the fact that an imagesignal previously stored in a set image memory is output to a videomonitor in place of an image signal from image pickup means when a filmis not set, it is possible to visually confirm from the display image onthe video monitor whether a film is set or not in the image pickup area,and when the film is not set, it is possible to prevent output of animage which is of no sense. Also, because it can be automaticallychecked whether a developed still photo film is a negative film or apositive film and the image can be processed according to the resultschecked, a normal image can be automatically reproduced on the videomonitor whether the film used is a negative film or a positive film.Further, since the degrees of fading of the respective colors R, G, B ofthe film can be automatically decided and the respective R, G, B imagesignals can be corrected according to the degrees of fading before theyare output to the video monitor, the film image of the developed stillphoto film can always be reproduced in a non-faded condition even if thefilm image is actually faded.

It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limitthe invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, theinvention is to cover all modifications, alternate constructions andequivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A film image input system, comprising: a supplyreel loaded with a film cartridge having a long and narrow developedstill photo film wound around a spool; a take-up reel having a take-upshaft; a reel driver for driving said supply and take-up reels; a filmguide including a film storage part for enclosing said take-up shaft ofsaid take-up reel, said film guide for guiding said film between saidsupply reel and said take-up shaft; an image pickup for picking up animage on said film guided by said film guide between said supply andtake-up reels, converting said image into an electric signal, andoutputting said electric signal to a display; and a guide memberdisposed extending from the film entrance and outlet opening of saidfilm storage part toward said take-up shaft of said take-up reel, forguiding the leading end of said film to a take-up side of said take-upshaft when said film is sent out from said film cartridge, said guidemember being retreatable so as to be in continuous contact with theoutermost roll of said film wound around said take-up shaft as thewinding diameter of said film wound around said take-up shaft graduallyincreases.
 2. A film image input system as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid guide member is formed of a material which is more flexible andsofter than said film.
 3. A film image input system as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said guide member is a rotatable guide arm and has aroller at the leading end thereof.
 4. A film image input system,comprising: a supply reel and a take-up reel for feeding a long andnarrow developed still photo film; a reel driver for driving said supplyand take-up reels; an image pickup for picking up an image on said filmto be fed between said supply and take-up reels, converting said imageinto an electric signal, and outputting said electric signal to adisplay; a first reel brake for braking said supply reel; a second reelbrake for braking said take-up reel; and a controller for controllingsaid first and second reel brake to brake said supply and take-up reelswhenever said film is being loaded between said supply and take-upreels.
 5. A film image input system, comprising: a supply reel and atake-up reel for feeding a long and narrow developed still photo film; areel driver for driver said supply and take-up reels; an image pickupfor picking up an image on said film to be fed between said supply andtake-up reels, converting said image into an electric signal, andoutputting said electric signal to a video monitor; a first reel brakefor braking said supply reel; a second reel brake for braking saidtake-up reel; and a controller for controlling said first and secondreel brake to brake said supply and take-up reels whenever said film isbeing loaded between said supply and take-up reels; wherein said firstreel brake applies a soft brake and a full brake to said supply reel,and said second reel brake applies a soft brake and a full brake to saidtake-up reel, and wherein said controller controls said first and secondreel brakes in such a manner that they apply the soft brake to saidsupply and take-up reels when said film is fed and that they apply thefull brake to said supply and take-up reels while said film is beingloaded between said supply and take-up reels.
 6. A film transportingdevice, comprising: a supply reel; a take-up reel; a cartridge holderfor storing a film cartridge having a spool with a long and narrow stillphoto film wound therearound, said cartridge holder including asupporter for holding said film cartridge in such a manner that saidfilm cartridge is floated a given amount in the axial direction of saidspool, said cartridge holder, when opened, allowing said film cartridgeto be inserted thereinto or taken out therefrom in the axial directionof said spool and, when closed, allowing said spool of said filmcartridge to be positioned on said supply reel; a reel driver fordriving said supply and take-up reel; a rotatable spool hold memberbeing free to advance or retreat with respect to said supply reel; and adriver for advancing and retreating said spool hold member with respectto said supply reel, said driver driving said spool hold member to pushsaid film cartridge in said cartridge holder toward said supply reel,thereby loading the lower end portion of said spool into the headportion of said supply reel and loading said spool hold member into theupper end portion of said spool.
 7. A film image input system,comprising: a supply reel; a take-up reel; a cartridge holder forstoring a film cartridge having two spools with a long and narrow,developed still photo film wound therearound, said cartridge holderincluding a supporter for holding said film cartridge in such a mannerthat it is floated a given amount in the axial direction of said spools,said cartridge holder, when opened, allowing said film cartridge to beinserted thereinto or taken out therefrom in the axial direction of saidspools and, when closed, allowing said two spools of said film cartridgeto be positioned respectively on said supply and take-up reels; a firstdriver for driving said supply and take-up reels; an image pickup forpicking up an image on said film to be fed between said supply andtake-up reels, converting said image into an image signal, andoutputting said image signal to a display; two rotatable spool holdmembers being free to advance and retreat with respect to said supplyand take-up reels; and a second driver for advancing and retreating saidtwo spool hold members with respect to said supply and take-up reels,said second driver driving said two spool hold members to push said filmcartridge within said cartridge holder toward said supply and take-upreels, thereby loading the lower end portions of said two spoolsrespectively onto the head portions of said supply and take-up reels andloading said two spool hold members into the upper end portions of saidtwo spools.
 8. A film image input system, comprising: a frame detectorfor detecting a frame by detecting a notch or a hole formed in eachframe of a long and narrow, developed still photo film; a film feederfor feeding said film until said frame detector detects a next frameand, after said frame feeding, for scanning the frames in a film feedingdirection by feeding said film in a given scan range narrower than thewidth of 1 frame; an image pickup for picking up an image on said film,converting said image into an image signal, and outputting said imagesignal to a display; a scan position detector for detecting a scanposition after the frame feeding with a frame detect position as areference position; and a controller for enabling the next frame to bedetected by said frame detector after a scan position detected by saidscan position detector if the frame feeding exceeds at least said scanrange.
 9. A film image input system, comprising: a frame detector fordetecting a frame by detecting a notch or a hole formed in each frame ofa long and narrow, developed still photo film; a film feeder for feedingsaid film until said frame detector detects a next frame and, after saidframe feeding, for scanning the frames in a film feeding direction byfeeding said film in a given scan range; an image pickup for picking upan image on said film, converting said image into an image signal, andoutputting said image signal to a display; a scan position detector fordetecting a scan position after the frame feeding with a frame detectposition as a reference position; and a controller, when said film ismoved to a position located forwardly of a frame detect position and theframe is fed in a reverse direction, and when said film is moved to aposition located reversely of the frame detect position and the frame isagain fed in a forward direction, for enabling the frame detection bysaid frame detector to restart frame detection after the detect positionof said scan position detector coincides with said reference position.10. A film image input system, comprising: a frame detector fordetecting a frame by detecting a notch or a hole formed in each frame ofa long and narrow, developed still photo film; a film feeder for feedingthe frames by feeding said film until said frame detector detects a nextframe and, after said frame feeding, for scanning the frames in a filmfeeding direction by feeding said film in a given scan range; an imagepickup for picking up an image on said film, converting said image intoan image signal, and outputting said image signal to a display; adeterminer for determining whether said film is moved to a positionlocated forwardly of a frame detect position or to a position locatedreversely of the frame detect position by scanning; and a controller fordisabling the first frame detect by said frame detector when said filmis moved to a position located forwardly of the frame detect positionand the frame is fed in a reverse direction, and when said film is movedto a position located reversely of the frame detect position and theframe is fed in a forward direction.
 11. A film image input system,comprising: a forwardly and reversely rotatable reel motor having arotational speed dependent on an input voltage; a supply reel; a take-upreel; a first oscillating gear mechanism, rotatable according to thedirection of rotation of said reel motor, for transmitting the motorrotary drive force to said supply reel or take-up reel; a secondoscillating gear mechanism, rotatable according to the direction ofrotation of said reel motor, for transmitting the motor rotary driveforce to said supply or take-up reel at a different ratio of reductionfrom that of said first oscillating gear mechanism; a restricter forrestricting the rotation range of one of said first and secondoscillating gear mechanisms and enabling only the other oscillating gearmechanism to transmit the rotary drive force; and an image pickup forpicking up an image on a long and narrow, developed still photo film tobe fed between said supply and take-up reels, converting said image intoan image signal, and outputting said image signal to a display.
 12. Afilm transporting device, comprising: a forwardly and reverselyrotatable reel motor having a rotational speed dependent on an inputvoltage; a supply reel loaded with a spool within a film cartridge, witha long and narrow still photo film wound around said spool; a take-upreel for taking up said film sent out from said film cartridge; anoscillating gear mechanism, rotatable according to the direction ofrotation of said reel motor, for transmitting the motor rotary driveforce to said supply or take-up reel; and a fixer for fixing saidoscillating gear mechanism unoscillatable in such a manner that themotor rotary drive force can be transmitted through said oscillatinggear mechanism to said supply reel and for enabling said supply reel tobe driven in a direction to send out said film from said film cartridge.13. A film image input system, comprising: a film feeder for feeding along and narrow developed still photo film; an image pickup for pickingup an image on said film, converting said image into an image signal,and outputting said image signal; an image memory for storing an imagesignal of a predetermined image which is different from said film image;a detector for detecting whether said image signal of said film image ispermitted to be output from said image pickup; and an image signalswitcher for outputting, to a display, an image signal of the film imagepicked up by said image pickup when said detector detects that saidimage signal of said film image is permitted to be output, andoutputting, to said display, said image signal stored in said imagememory when said detector detects that said image signal of said filmimage is not permitted to be output.
 14. A film image input system,comprising: a film feeder for feeding a long and narrow developed stillphoto film; an image pickup for picking up an image on said film,converting said image into an image signal, and outputting said imagesignal; a negative/positive determiner for automatically determiningwhether said film is negative or positive; and an image signal processorfor performing a negative image processing or a positive imageprocessing on said image signal in accordance with the determination bysaid negative/positive determiner, and for outputting said imageprocessed image signal to a display; wherein said film is previouslystored in a film cartridge which can be formed in different shapesaccording to whether said film is negative or positive, and saidnegative/positive determiner detects the difference between the shapesof said film cartridge to thereby determine whether said film stored insaid film cartridge is negative or positive.
 15. A film image inputsystem as set forth in claim 14, wherein said negative/positivedeterminer comprises a density measurer for measuring the density ofportions of said film other than the portion of said image and a meansfor determining whether said film is negative or positive in accordancewith the magnitude of the density measured by said density measurer. 16.A film image input system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said filmincludes notches or holes formed in each frame for indicating theposition of the frame, and wherein said negative/positive determinercomprises a density measurer for measuring the density of portions ofsaid film other than the portion of said image and a means fordetermining, in accordance with the magnitude of the density measured bysaid density measurer, whether said film is negative or positive and fordetecting the position of the film.
 17. A film image input system,comprising: a reel motor rotatable at a speed which can be changedaccording to voltages input to said reel motor; a supply reel and atake-up reel to be driven by said reel motor; an image pickup forpicking up an image on a long and narrow, developed still photo film tobe fed between said supply and take-up reels, converting said image intoan image signal, and outputting said image signal to a display; adetector for detecting the film winding diameter of said take-up reel ordata corresponding to said film winding diameter; and a controller fordetermining a motor drive voltage for transporting said film at aconstant speed between said supply reel and said take-up reel inaccordance with the output of said detector and outputting said motordrive voltage to said reel motor.
 18. The film image input system as setforth in claim 17, wherein said controller has a table or acomputational expression indicating a motor drive voltage with respectto said film winding diameter or the data corresponding to said filmwinding diameter so as to keep the film feeding speed constant, anddetermines said motor drive voltage from said table or computationalexpression in accordance with the output of said detector, and outputssaid motor drive voltage to said reel motor.
 19. The film image inputsystem as set forth in claim 17, wherein said film is coated with amagnetic recording layer, and the film image input system furthercomprises a recorder for recording magnetic information on said magneticrecording layer on said film while said film is being fed at theconstant speed, or reading said magnetic information from said magneticrecording layer.
 20. A film image input system, comprising: a filmfeeder for feeding a long and narrow, developed still photo film havingstandard patterns for correcting faded R, G, B colors printed onportions of the film other than the image portion; a reader for readingsaid standard patterns printed on said film for correcting the fadedcolors; a fading determiner for determining the degrees of fading of therespective R, G, B colors of said film in accordance with said fadingcorrecting standard patterns read by said reader; a lookup table havinga plurality of predetermined tables for correcting the faded R, G, Bcolors, said tables respectively corresponding to the degrees of fadingof the R, G, B colors, said lookup table for outputting the faded R, G,B colors correcting tables corresponding to the results determined bysaid fading determiner; an image pickup for picking up images on saidfilm and converting said images into R, G, B image signals; and an imagesignal processor for correcting the R, G, B image signals output fromsaid image pickup in accordance with the faded R, G, B correcting tablesread out from said lookup table and for outputting said corrected imagesignals to a display.
 21. A film image input system, comprising: a filmfeeder for feeding a long and narrow developed still photo film; animage pickup for picking up an image on said film, converting said imageinto an image signal, and outputting said image signal; a frame detectorfor detecting a frame using notches or holes formed in each of theframes of said film to indicate the position of each of the frames; anoperator for fast-feed-searching for a desired frame of said film; and acontroller for controlling said film feeder to feed said film fast whensaid fast-feed-searching is performed by said operator, and fortemporarily stopping said film for a given period of time when saiddetector detects a frame during said fast-feed-searching.
 22. A filmimage input system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said given periodof time is a time within a range of 0.1 sec. to 0.5 sec.
 23. A filmimage input system, comprising: a film feeder for feeding a long andnarrow developed still photo film; an image pickup for picking up animage on said film, converting said image into an image signal, andoutputting said image signal; a negative/positive determiner fordetermining whether said film is negative or positive; and an imagesignal processor for performing a negative image processing or apositive image processing on said image signal in accordance with thedetermination by said negative/positive determiner, and for outputtingsaid image processed image signal to a display; wherein said film ishoused in a film cartridge having information indicating whether thehoused film is negative or positive, and said negative/positivedeterminer detects the film information of said film cartridge so as todetermine whether said film housed in said film cartridge is negative orpositive.
 24. A film transporting device, comprising: a reel motorrotatable at a speed which can be changed according to voltages inputtherein; a supply reel and a take-up reel to be driven by said reelmotor; a detector for detecting the film winding diameter of saidtake-up reel or data corresponding to said film winding diameter; and acontroller for finding a motor drive diameter so as to keep a filmfeeding speed at a constant speed between said supply reel and saidtake-up reel, and outputting said motor drive voltage to said reelmotor.
 25. The film transporting device as set forth in claim 24,wherein said controller has a table or a computational expressionindicating said motor drive voltage with respect to said film windingdiameter or the data corresponding to said film winding diameter so asto keep the film feeding speed at the constant speed which is previouslyset, said controller finding said motor drive voltage from said table orcomputational expression in accordance with the output of said detectorand outputting said motor drive voltage to said reel motor.
 26. The filmtransporting device as set forth in claim 24, wherein said film iscoated with a magnetic recording layer, and has a recorder for recordingmagnetic information in said magnetic recording layer while said film isbeing fed at the constant speed, or for reading magnetic informationfrom said magnetic recording layer.
 27. A film feeding unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein, said photo film being provided with one of a holeand a notch respectively formed in each frame of said photo film forindicating a position of each frame, and a single spool rotatablyprovided in said film cartridge main body and having one end of saidphoto film affixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, a fulllength of said photo film being wound around said single spool, saidfilm feeding unit comprising: film feeder including a film supply partfor housing said film cartridge thereon and supplying said photo filmfrom the housed film cartridge, said film supply part having a spooldrive member operatively connecting with said single spool of said filmcartridge and a first driver for rotating said spool drive member in adirection to feed said photo film from said cartridge main body and in adirection to rewind said photo film into said cartridge main body, and afilm take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film take-up parthaving a take-up reel for taking up said photo film and a second driverfor rotating said take-up reel in a direction to take up said photo filmsaid film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; frame detector for detecting a frame on asaid photo film fed between said film supply part and said film take-uppart using one of said hole and said notch respectively formed in eachframe of said photo film; and controller for controlling said filmfeeder in accordance with frame detection performed by said framedetector.
 28. The film feeding unit according to claim 27, wherein saidcontroller stops said film feeding unit when a predetermined frame isdetected by said frame detector.
 29. The film feeding unit according toclaim 27, wherein said frame detector increases or decreases a countvalue by one each time one of said hole and said notch is detected, anddetects a frame number according to the counted value.
 30. The filmfeeding unit according to claim 27, wherein said photo film housed insaid film cartridge is developed film; and wherein said film feedingunit further comprises image pickup for picking up a frame image on saidphoto film when said frame detector detects a frame on said photo film.31. A film feeding unit using a film cartridge including a filmcartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film therein, saidphoto film being provided with one of a hole and a notch respectivelyformed in each frame of said photo film for indicating a position ofeach frame, and a single spool rotatable provided in said film cartridgemain body and having one end of said photo film affixed thereto in thelongitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound around saidsingle spool, said film feeding unit comprising: film feeder including afilm supply part for housing said film cartridge thereon and supplyingsaid photo film from the housed film cartridge and a film take-up partfor taking up said photo film, said film feeder feeding said photo filmbetween said film supply part and said film take-up part; frame detectorfor detecting a frame on a said photo film fed between said film supplypart and said film take-up part using one of said hole and said notchrespectively formed in each frame of said photo film; and controller forcontrolling said film feeder in accordance with frame detectionperformed by said frame detector; wherein said frame detector increasesor decreases a count value by one each time one of said hole and saidnotch is detected, and detects a frame number according to the countedvalue; and further comprising a display for displaying the frame numberdetected by said frame detector.
 32. A film feeding unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein, said photo film being provided with one of a holeand a notch respectively formed in each frame of said photo film forindicating a position of each frame, and a single spool rotatablyprovided in said film cartridge main body and having one end of saidphoto film affixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, saidphoto film being wound around said single spool, said film feeding unitcomprising: film feeder including a film supply part for housing saidfilm cartridge thereon and supplying said photo film from the housedfilm cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; frame detector for detecting a frame on asaid photo film fed between said film supply part and said film take-uppart using one of said hole and said notch respectively formed in eachframe of said photo film; and controller for controlling said filmfeeder in accordance with frame detection performed by said framedetector; wherein said frame detector increases or decreases a countvalue by one each time one of said hole and said notch is detected, anddetects a frame number according to the counted value; and wherein saidcontroller stops said film feeder when the frame number detected by saidframe detector is a predetermined number.
 33. A film feeding unit usinga film cartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing acontinuous photo film therein, said photo film being provided with oneof a hole and a notch respectively formed in each frame of said photofilm for indicating a position of each frame, and a single spoolrotatably provided in said film cartridge main body and having one endof said photo film affixed thereto in the longitudinal directionthereof, said photo film being wound around said single spool, said filmfeeding unit comprising: film feeder including a film supply part forhousing said film cartridge thereon and supplying said photo film fromthe housed film cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up saidphoto film, said film feeder feeding said photo film between said filmsupply part and said film take-up part; frame detector for detecting aframe on a said photo film fed between said film supply part and saidfilm take-up part using one of said hole and said notch respectivelyformed in each frame of said photo film; and controller for controllingsaid film feeder in accordance with frame detection performed by saidframe detector; wherein said photo film housed in said film cartridge iscoated with a magnetic recording layer; and wherein said film feedingunit further comprises magnetic recorder for writing magneticinformation onto said magnetic recording layer when said frame detectordetects a frame on said photo film.
 34. A film feeding unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein, said photo film being provided with one of a holeand a notch respectively formed in each frame of said photo film forindicating a position of each frame, and a single spool rotatableprovided in said film cartridge main body and having one end of saidphoto film affixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, saidphoto film being wound around said single spool, said film feeding unitcomprising: film feeder including a film supply part for housing saidfilm cartridge thereon and supplying said photo film from the housedfilm cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; frame detector for detecting a frame on asaid photo film fed between said film supply part and said film take-uppart using one of said hole and said notch respectively formed in eachframe of said photo film; and controller for controlling said filmfeeder in accordance with frame detection performed by said framedetector; wherein said photo film housed in said film cartridge iscoated with a magnetic recording layer; and wherein said film feedingunit further comprises magnetic reader for reading magnetic informationrecorded on said magnetic recording layer when said frame detectordetects a frame on said photo film.
 35. A film feeding unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein, said photo film being provided with one of a holeand a notch respectively formed in each frame for indicating a positionof each frame and one of a hole and a notch for indicating a rear end ofthe last frame of said photo film, and a single spool rotatably providedin said film cartridge main body and having one end of said photo filmaffixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo filmbeing wound around said single spool, said film feeding unit comprising:film feeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; frame detector for detecting a frame and the rear end ofthe last frame of said photo film fed between said film supply part andsaid film take-up part using one of said hole and said notch forindicating the rear end of the last frame of said photo film; andcontroller for controlling said film feeder in accordance with framedetection performed by said frame detector, and prohibiting said filmtake-up part from taking up said photo film when the rear end of thelast frame is detected.
 36. An information recording unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein and a single spool rotatably provided in said filmcartridge main body, said single spool having one end of said photo filmaffixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo filmbeing wound around said single spool, said film cartridge including oneof a magnetic recording layer coated on said photo film and an IC memoryinstalled in said cartridge main body, and said information recordingunit comprising: a film feeder including a film supply part for housingsaid film cartridge therein and supplying said photo film from thehoused film cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photofilm, said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supplypart and said film take-up part; and a recorder for recordinginformation into one of said magnetic recording layer on said photo filmand said IC memory; wherein said information used for reproducing theframe image recorded on said photo film on the display includes at leastone of the following: trimming information indicating an area requiredfor reproducing one frame, rotation information indicating a directionof the frame image, zoom information, and scan information.
 37. Aninformation recording unit using a film cartridge including a filmcartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film therein and asingle spool rotatably provided in said film cartridge main body, saidsingle spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto in thelongitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound around saidsingle spool, said film cartridge including one of a magnetic recordinglayer coated on said photo film and an IC memory installed in saidcartridge main body, and said information recording unit comprising: afilm feeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; and a recorder for recording information into one of saidmagnetic recording layer on said photo film and said IC memory; whereinsaid information used for printing the frame image recorded on saidphoto film includes at least one of the following: informationindicating a number of prints, trimming information indicating an arearequired for printing one frame, and zoom information.
 38. Theinformation recording unit according to claim 37, wherein said recorderrecords said zoom information by regulating said zoom information suchthat said zoom information so as not to exceed a triple magnification.39. An information recording unit using a film cartridge including afilm cartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film therein anda single spool rotatable provided in said film cartridge main body, saidsingle spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto in thelongitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound around saidsingle spool, said film cartridge including one of a magnetic recordinglayer coated on said photo film and an IC memory installed in saidcartridge main body, and said information recording unit comprising: afilm feeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; a recorder for recording information into one of saidmagnetic recording layer on said photo film and said IC memory; and aninternal memory for storing said information, and wherein said recorderrecords information stored once in said internal memory onto saidmagnetic recording layer on said photo film while said film feeder isfeeding said photo film.
 40. An information recording unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a developedcontinuous photo film therein and a single spool rotatably provided insaid film cartridge main body, said single spool having one end of saidphoto film affixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, saidphoto film being wound around said single spool, said film cartridgeincluding one of a magnetic recording layer coated on said photo filmand an IC memory installed in said cartridge main body, and saidinformation recording unit comprising: a film feeder including a filmsupply part for housing said film cartridge therein and supplying saidphoto film from the housed film cartridge and a film take-up part fortaking up said photo film, said film feeder feeding said photo filmbetween said film supply part and said film take-up part; an imagepickup for picking up a frame image from said photo film to display thepicked up frame image on a display; an information input for inputtinginformation relating to the frame image displayed on said display; and arecorder for recording the information input by said information inputinto one of said magnetic recording layer on said photo film and said ICmemory.
 41. The information recording unit according to claim 40,wherein said recorder records at least one of the following: informationused for reproducing, on a display, a frame image recorded on said photofilm, information used for printing a frame image recorded on said photofilm, and sound information.
 42. A magnetic information recording unitusing a film cartridge including a film cartridge main body for housinga continuous photo film therein and a single spool rotatably provided insaid film cartridge main body, said single spool having one end of saidphoto film affixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, saidphoto film being wound around said single spool and coated with amagnetic recording layer, said magnetic information recording unitcomprising: a film feeder including a film supply part for housing saidfilm cartridge therein and supplying said photo film from the housedfilm cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; and a magnetic recorder including a magnetichead abutting against said magnetic recording layer on said photo film,said magnetic head located at a position downstream from an image pickuparea for picking up an image from said photo film and located betweensaid film supply part and said film take-up part, said magnetic recorderrecording information relating to a frame on said photo film in saidimage pickup area onto said magnetic recording layer at said frame viasaid magnetic head when said photo film is fed on a frame-by-framebasis.
 43. The magnetic information recording unit of claim 42, whereinsaid magnetic head is located at a position downstream from said imagepickup area, regardless of the film feeding direction.
 44. A magneticinformation recording and reading unit using a film cartridge includinga film cartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film thereinand a single spool rotatably provided in said film cartridge main body,said single spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto inthe longitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound aroundsaid single spool and coated with a magnetic recording layer, saidmagnetic information recording and reading unit comprising: a filmfeeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; a magnetic reader including a first magnetic head abuttingagainst said magnetic recording layer on said photo film, said firstmagnetic head located at a position upstream from an image pickup areafor picking up an image from said photo film and located between saidfilm supply part and said film take-up part, said magnetic readerreading out information relating to a frame on said photo film in saidimage pickup area from said magnetic recording layer at said frame viasaid first magnetic head when said photo film is fed on a frame-by-framebasis; and a magnetic recorder including a second magnetic head abuttingagainst said magnetic recording layer on said photo film, said secondmagnetic head located at a position downstream from said image pickuparea, said magnetic recorder recording information relating to the frameon said photo film in said image pickup area onto said magneticrecording layer at one of the top edge and the bottom edge of said framevia said second magnetic head when said photo film is fed on aframe-by-frame basis.
 45. The magnetic information recording and readingunit of claim 44, wherein said first magnetic head is located at aposition upstream from said image pickup area, and said second magnetichead is located at a position downstream from said image pickup area,regardless of the film feeding direction.
 46. An information readingunit using a film cartridge including a film cartridge main body forhousing a continuous photo film therein and a single spool rotatablyprovided in said film cartridge main body, said single spool having oneend of said photo film affixed thereto in the longitudinal directionthereof, said photo film being wound around said single spool, said filmcartridge including one of a magnetic recording layer coated on saidphoto film and an IC memory installed in said cartridge main body, andsaid information reading unit comprising: a film feeder including a filmsupply part for housing said film cartridge therein and supplying saidphoto film from the housed film cartridge and a film take-up part fortaking up said photo film, said film feeder feeding said photo filmbetween said film supply part and said film take-up part; and a readerfor reading information recorded in one of said magnetic recording layeron said photo film and said IC memory, said information beinginformation for reproducing on a display a frame image recorded on saidphoto film; wherein said information used for reproducing, on thedisplay, the frame image recorded on said photo film includes at leastone of the following: trimming information indicating an area requiredfor reproducing one frame, rotation information indicating a directionof a frame image, zoom information, and scan information.
 47. Aninformation reading unit using a film cartridge including a filmcartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film therein and asingle spool rotatably provided in said film cartridge main body, saidsingle spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto in thelongitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound around saidsingle spool, said film cartridge including one of a magnetic recordinglayer coated on said photo film and an IC memory installed in saidcartridge main body, and said information reading unit comprising: afilm feeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film, said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; and a reader for reading information recorded in one ofsaid magnetic recording layer on said photo film and said IC memory,said information being information for reproducing on a display a frameimage recorded on said photo film; wherein said information used forprinting the frame image recorded on said photo film includes at leastone of the following: information indicating a number of prints,trimming information indicating an area required for printing one frame,and zoom information.
 48. An information reading unit using a filmcartridge including a film cartridge main body for housing a continuousphoto film therein and a single spool rotatably provided in said filmcartridge main body, said single spool having one end of said photo filmaffixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo filmbeing wound around said single spool, said film cartridge including oneof a magnetic recording layer coated on said photo film and an IC memoryinstalled in said cartridge main body, and said information reading unitcomprising: a film feeder including a film supply part for housing saidfilm cartridge therein and supplying said photo film from the housedfilm cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; and a reader for reading informationrecorded in one of said magnetic recording layer on said photo film andsaid IC memory; an internal memory for storing said information; whereinsaid reader stores, in said internal memory, the information read fromsaid magnetic recording layer on said photo film while said photo filmis fed backwards, and reads the stored information backwards from saidinternal memory while said photo film is fed backwards by said filmfeeder.
 49. An information reading unit using a film cartridge includinga film cartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film thereinand a single spool rotatably provided in said film cartridge main body,said single spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto inthe longitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound aroundsaid single spool, said film cartridge including one of a magneticrecording layer coated on said photo film and an IC memory installed insaid cartridge main body, and said information reading unit comprising:a film feeder including a film supply part for housing said filmcartridge therein and supplying said photo film from the housed filmcartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film, saidfilm feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply part andsaid film take-up part; and a reader for reading information recorded inone of said magnetic recording layer on said photo film and said ICmemory; wherein said photo film housed in said film cartridge isdeveloped film; wherein said information reading unit further comprisesan image pickup for picking up a frame image on said photo film todisplay the picked up frame image on a display; and wherein said readeroutputs a sound signal corresponding to said sound information, whensaid reader reads said sound information and the frame imagecorresponding to said sound information is displayed on said display.50. An information reading unit using a film cartridge including a filmcartridge main body for housing a continuous photo film therein and asingle spool rotatably provided in said film cartridge main body, saidsingle spool having one end of said photo film affixed thereto in thelongitudinal direction thereof, said photo film being wound around saidsingle spool, said film cartridge including one of a magnetic recordinglayer coated on said photo film and an IC memory installed in saidcartridge main body, and said information reading unit comprising: afilm feeder including a film supply part for housing said film cartridgetherein and supplying said photo film from the housed film cartridge anda film take-up part for taking up said photo film said film feederfeeding said photo film between said film supply part and said filmtake-up part; a reader for reading information recorded in one of saidmagnetic recording layer on said photo film and said IC memory; an imagepickup for picking up a frame image from said photo film to display thepicked up frame image on a display; and a controller for controllingsaid film feeder to sequentially feed said photo film on aframe-by-frame basis after pre-winding said photo film in said filmcartridge when said reader reads said pre-wind information; wherein saidphoto film housed in said film cartridge is developed film and saidphotograghing information includes pre-wind information indicating thatphotographing is being started after said photo film is pre-wound.
 51. Afilm image reproducing unit using a film cartridge including a filmcartridge main body for housing a developed continuous photo filmtherein and a single spool rotatably provided in said film cartridgemain body, said single spool having one end of said photo film affixedthereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo film beingwound around said single spool, said film cartridge including one of amagnetic recording layer coated on said photo film and an IC memoryinstalled in said cartridge main body, and said film image reproducingunit comprising: a film feeder including a film supply part for housingsaid film cartridge therein and supplying said photo film from thehoused film cartridge and a take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; a reader for reading information recorded inone of said magnetic recording layer on said photo film and said ICmemory; an image pickup for picking up a frame image from said photofilm to display the picked up frame image on a display; and a controllerfor controlling the picked up frame image to be displayed on saiddisplay in accordance with the information read by said reader.
 52. Thefilm image reproducing unit according to claim 51, wherein saidinformation includes at least one of the following: trimming informationindicating an area required for reproducing one frame, rotationinformation indicating a direction of the frame image, zoom information,and scan information.
 53. The film image reproducing unit according toclaim 51, wherein said controller controls said film feeder such thatframe images on said photo film are sequentially and automaticallyreproduced on a frame-by-frame basis up to the last frame.
 54. The filmimage reproducing unit according to claim 51, further comprising aselector for selecting one of a manual reproducing mode and an automaticreproducing mode, and wherein said controller controls a frame image tobe displayed on said display in accordance with information read by saidreader only when said automatic reproducing mode is selected by saidselector.
 55. The film image reproducing unit according to claim 51,further comprising a selector for selecting one of a manual reproducingmode and an automatic reproducing mode, and wherein said controllercontrols said film feeder such that frame images on said photo film aresequentially and automatically reproduced on a frame-by-frame basis upto the last frame only when said automatic reproducing mode is selectedby said selector.
 56. A film image output unit using a film cartridgeincluding a film cartridge main body for housing a developed continuousphoto film therein and a single spool rotatably provided in said filmcartridge main body, said single spool having one end of said photo filmaffixed thereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo filmbeing wound around said single spool, said film image output unitcomprising: a film feeder including a film supply part for housing saidfilm cartridge therein and supplying said photo film from the housedfilm cartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film,said film feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply partand said film take-up part; an image pickup for picking up a frame imagefrom said photo film fed by said film feeder to output an image signalrepresenting the picked up frame image; an image memory; and acontroller for storing, in said image memory, at least one of an imagesignal representing one frame output from said image pick up and animage signal representing a multiple image composed of multiple framesoutput from said image pick up, and reading out the image signal storedin said image memory.
 57. The film image output unit according to claim56, wherein said multiple image is one of an index image and a compositeimage.
 58. The film image output unit according to claim 57, wherein theimage signal representing said index image is generated by compressing aplurality of image signals representing respective frames.
 59. The filmimage output unit according to claim 56, wherein said controller outputsthe image signals read out from said image memory to a display.
 60. Amagnetic information recording and reading unit using a film cartridgeincluding a film cartridge main body for housing a continuous photo filmtherein and a single spool rotatably provided in said film cartridgemain body, said single spool having one end of said photo film affixedthereto in the longitudinal direction thereof, said photo film beingwound around said single spool and coated with a magnetic recordinglayer, said magnetic information recording and reading unit comprising:a film feeder including a film supply part for housing said filmcartridge therein and supplying said photo film from the housed filmcartridge and a film take-up part for taking up said photo film, saidfilm feeder feeding said photo film between said film supply part andsaid film take-up part; and a magnetic reader including a first magnetichead abutting against said magnetic recording layer on said photo film,said first magnetic head located at a position upstream from an imagepickup area for picking up an image from said photo film and locatedbetween said film supply part and said film take-up part, said magneticreader reading out information relating to a frame on said photo film insaid image pickup area from said magnetic recording layer at said framevia said first magnetic head when said photo film is fed on aframe-by-frame basis.